On June 2, Cooper will meet with her Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, and Chinese Vice President, Han Zheng, before heading to Shenzhen for a program centered on science and technology the following day, according to government sources.
These plans, revealed on Sunday, May 31, follow a report from Reuters last month, citing three sources regarding the visit.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Chinese leader Xi Jinping emphasized a renewal in relations during Starmer’s January visit to China, committing to enhanced cooperation in trade, investment, and technology for the benefit of both nations.
Trip to focus on tackling global challenges
Starmer, currently facing some of the lowest popularity ratings for any leader in the UK, was the first British prime minister to visit China in eight years, as his centre-left Labour government prioritizes improving relations with the country.
Cooper’s trips to China and India—ranked as the world’s second-largest and sixth-largest economies—come amid rising geopolitical tensions, escalating oil prices due to the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, and Britain’s ongoing economic challenges.
She is anticipated to arrive in India on June 4, where she will meet External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, as well as entrepreneurs, academics, and government officials pivotal to the UK-India Vision 2035 initiative.
Last year, the two nations signed a free trade agreement aimed at enhancing bilateral trade and improving access to various markets. However, India’s trade secretary, Rajesh Agrawal, indicated last month that the implementation is facing obstacles due to new steel import restrictions from London.
The British government noted that Cooper’s forthcoming engagements with these two major powers are expected to concentrate on addressing significant global challenges.
