After Indian 'peanuts,' its Chinese snub for Brittania

[pmaitra]

After Indian 'peanuts,' its Chinese snub for Brittania - this, however, involves, Dalai Lama

China's diplomatic snubs to UK

China has put relations with the United Kingdom into, if not the diplomatic deep-freeze, then at least the ice-box.

This sudden chill is, according to China's government, entirely the fault of the British side.

For several weeks, China has been cancelling high-level meetings. We already knew that Wu Bangguo, who ranks second behind President Hu Jintao, called off a trip to London in mid-May.

Now it's clear several British ministers who visited Beijing recently have received diplomatic snubs.

When Lord Greene, the UK's trade and investment minister, attended a UK-China Partnership Summit in May, China's ministry of commerce sent an assistant minister to address the gathering. The assistant minister then left the room as soon as he'd given his speech.

When Foreign Office Minister Jeremy Browne visited Beijing, he didn't get to meet anyone from China's ministry of foreign affairs.

What is not clear is whether this is going to be a long, drawn-out diplomatic chill or a passing phase.

But there is a downside. By being so strident China may influence people but it may not win friends and it risks damaging its image as a rising power.

And the Communist Party depends for its legitimacy on delivering not just renewed national pride but also rising prosperity.

So China has growing economic and diplomatic interests around the world that it does not want to see damaged either.

China's sovereign wealth fund is looking to make more investments in the UK in infrastructure and utilities. China wants to diversify its foreign exchange holdings away from the US dollar.

The British pound is an obvious alternative, particularly given the euro's troubles. China has started making London a major offshore centre for trading its currency, the renminbi.

British officials say that the UK is more open than most to Chinese investments. There is little political opposition to Chinese firms buying UK airports, water firms or bus companies as long as they invest in them and make them profitable.

So, the argument goes, treating a friendly nation could backfire badly if China's actions stir up hostility in the UK.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-18447086

Related: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-18084223

 

[Ray]

The Chinese are bilious and revengeful for the British part in the 100 years of Shame that they administered on China.

The Chinese are very astute in the manner they snub another nation.

They are like the assassins whose perfection lies in garroting.

 

[pmaitra]

The Chinese are bilious and revengeful for the British part in the 100 years of Shame that they administered on China.

The Chinese are very astute in the manner they snub another nation.

They are like the assassins whose perfection lies in garroting.

Be they Communist, or Imperialist, the Chinese are fiercely Nationalist as well, and I surely admire them for this attitude.

 

[kickok1975]

Why I don't feel thrilled by this news at all, is it just me? Chinese government has made such drama countless times over the years. I'm getting tired of their boring practice: Protesting-reconciliation-Protesting. At the end of the day, it's business as usual. A dragon without fire is no different than a barking dog without teeth.