Interview: UK should embrace changes in China, increase engagements: UK China expert

LONDON, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Highlighting China has been part of British lives for a very long time, Kerry Brown, professor of Chinese Studies and director of the Lau China Institute at King's College, London, has urged Britain not to fear changes in China.

During an interview with Xinhua this week, he also said "It's not in our interest to be defensive and stop working with China in areas like the environment. I hope we can collaborate with China on more fronts."

With decades of experience as a diplomat, historian, and professor, Brown now leads one of the most influential China study centers in Europe, which serves as "a bridge for people in both countries to understand each other."

Brown told Xinhua that even after the pandemic, few British government officials visited China, and he emphasized that there needs to be more high-level contact between the two countries, in addition to fostering more people-to-people interactions among businesspeople and students.

Brown released a new book on Tuesday at Asia House, an independent think tank in London, to explore the history of interaction and power shifts between the United Kingdom (UK) and China after he observed a significant deterioration in bilateral relations following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dismissing the idea of questioning the value of a good relationship with China and highlighting the importance of pragmatic engagement, he said "Surprisingly, China has become a sensitive topic nowadays" and "It's ridiculous to question whether we should maintain a good relationship with China and have fewer anxieties."

When asked about the future UK government's stance on China, Brown said that besides considering developments in United States politics, the UK should also focus on domestic development to meet economic and decarbonization targets. "We should have a clear and pragmatic relationship with China," he added.

Addressing concerns about China's overcapacity and product dumping in clean energy, Brown noted that many people in the UK are concerned about climate change and that the UK needs to leverage China's technological advancements in clean energy.

"I think the big issue for many in the UK is that they don't realize China has become a technological superpower," said Brown.

As a historian of Chinese history, Brown remarked that China has always been changing, and Britain has been adapting to these changes for decades. "I think we should not be scared of changes in China," he noted.