British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is trying to repair the U.K.’s relationship with China without being seen doing it.
Sunak has in recent weeks sent a trade minister to Hong Kong while his envoy to the former British colony called for handling more disagreements with Beijing behind closed doors. U.K. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly is expected to make a trip to China in the coming months.
Still, Sunak has so far stopped short of a personal show of engagement, like the leaders of France, Germany and Spain, who have all traveled to China to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping since he secured a third term as leader in October. The prime minister is highly unlikely to visit Xi in Beijing before the U.K.’s next general election, according to people familiar with the matter.