Sunak signals end to Sino-U.K. ‘golden era’ but rejects ‘simplistic’ Cold War rhetoric

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has declared an end to the “golden era” of Sino-U.K. relations in a major foreign policy speech that also outlined what he described as an “evolutionary” approach toward the Indo-Pacific region based on pragmatism, trade and security partnerships.

“Let’s be clear, the so-called golden era (with Beijing) is over along with the naive idea that trade would automatically lead to social and political reform,” the British leader said Monday in London, calling China a “systemic challenge to our values and interests.”

This challenge is growing more acute, Sunak said, highlighting China’s crackdown of ongoing “COVID-zero” protests across the country while warning that the leadership in Beijing is moving toward “even greater authoritarianism.”