UK Foreign Sec Considering Beijing Visit-BBG

Bloomberg reporting that Foreign Secretary James Cleverly is considering making a visit to China in July. Comes after Politico storyearlier today revealing an official invite had been extended to the British minister from Beijing. As noted by Politico, should Cleverly make the trip it would be the first visit by a UK foreign minister to China in five years.

• It would also come hot on the heels of US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken's planned visit to Beijing and then London from 16-21 June. The trips are likely to be viewed as an effort by Western nations and China to dial back tensions that have remained high in recent months. More details on Blinken's trip here: https://marketnews.com/sec-state-blinken-to-travel... Wires reporting unnamed diplomats as stating that the US is 'not expecting a breakthrough' from the China visit.
• For UK PM Rishi Sunak signs of a more cordial relationship with China do not come without risk. His centre-right Conservative party has a parliamentary cohort of China hawks keen to significantly reduce the UK's economic and political links with Beijing. While they are unlikely to significantly unsettle Sunak's leadership, consistent criticism of his China strategy could erode the UK's partners' faith in the stability of London's stance.
• In late April MNI's Political Risk team wroteon the early signs of a thaw in relations between China and the West.