Britain’s China dilemma: Decoupling or cooperation? – BBC Newsnight

A “pragmatic, sensible” relationship is what the Foreign Secretary James Cleverly promised in Beijing for the first UK-China meeting at that level for half a decade. It appeared to be part of the mechanics of what might lead to the first face to face meeting between Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and President Xi. It’s pretty clear that Britain and the West in general, appears to have shied away from cutting certain links in a process of what was known as “decoupling”. Conversations are required on global priorities from Ukraine to climate change. China, meanwhile, is attempting to forge new diplomatic alliances, building on the so-called Brics grouping including Russia. Is the plan to contain China if it follows Russia and invades Taiwan? Or is it something bigger, to try to prevent China’s ascent to becoming the world’s number one economy?