News Analysis: Britain, China can deepen strategic partnership in wider int'l context: British experts

Britain and China share many strategic common interests and the two nations' partnerships can be explored and deepened in wider international context, several British international affairs experts have said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping made a successful state visit to Britain from Oct. 19 to 23, which was widely hailed as one that ushered in a "golden decade" for the two countries' global comprehensive strategic partnership.

"China and Britain share much common ground, and the potential benefits of closer bilateral relations are enormous," Niv Horesh, director of the China Policy Institute at the University of Nottingham, told Xinhua in a recent interview.

Horesh, also a professor of modern history of China at the university, said Britain and China were in opposite camps during the Cold War, but the two nations had in fact collaborated against common enemies during first and second world wars.

"So for China and the UK to now move beyond this chequered record, to respect one another's distinct system of governance and sovereignty, and to forge an economic partnership is by definition beneficial for world peace," the historian said.

He stressed that the basis for productive collaboration between the two nations must be "genuine respect for each other's political institutions and way of life."

Analysts also highlighted the necessity for Britain and China to increase dialogues over international strategic affairs as the two nations looked to push forward their renewed global partnership.

John Chipman, director-general and chief executive of the London-headquartered International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), a renowned British think thank, said the exchange of views at the highest level between Britain and China is important.

"If you are sharing an economic relationship, it's important also to begin sharing geo-political views in a very important way," he noted.

Talking about the strategic bonds between Britain and China, Chipman continued: "Both are permanent members of the UN Security Council, so I think both the UK and China are interested in a rules-based international order."

He suggested that it would be significant for Britain and China to consult more on trends in international affairs.

"For me the interesting elements of this state visit will be how the UK-Chinese strategic dialogue develops on areas outside the Asia Pacific, including the Middle East and the challenges we are now facing in Europe as well," he told Xinhua.

Rana Mitter, director of Oxford University's China Center, said China and Britain could be "looking to a common destiny" within a wider context.

"We should remember that Europe is also an important framework for Britain's present and China, while it is a tremendously big and important country, also exists in the context of the Asia-Pacific region," said Mitter, who is also professor of history and politics of modern China at Oxford University.

Noting that any common destiny "must come through consensus," the historian pointed out that the "common destiny" would involve all sides developing their areas of greater cooperation and greater mutual understanding.

"I think there are a whole variety of areas where the UK and China need to think about drawing more fully on the potential of the relationship," he opined, adding the two nations have much more to gain from cooperation than any kind of confrontation.

Optimistic about the overall prospect of Britain-China partnership, the expert predicted that it would be likely the case that the two nations would "draw more from each other as the decade goes on."

Mitter also hinted that Britain's reputation in certain areas, including financial services, popular culture and higher education, can help the country "engage in a fruitful dialogue with China."

As China builds up its own higher education system and looks to increase its "cultural footprint" around the world, both sides will draw on these areas of strength to learn more from each other, he said. Endit