The view from China

US-China relations

Earlier this month, Presidents Xi Jinping and Joe Biden held a virtual meeting together. However, this important détente was upstaged by the US and China agreeing to deepen climate change cooperation during the COP26 Summit. Whilst both the virtual meeting and climate cooperation agreement are positive signs, the broader bilateral relationship remains as frosty as ever.

Indeed, just days after the two leaders spoke President Xi made it clear at an ASEAN Summit that China offered the SE Asian region the best trade and investment relationship considering the recently concluded US-UK-Australian AUKUS security agreement.

UK engagement in the ASEAN region

Following the UK’s formal application to join the CPTPP free trade agreement earlier in the year Britain became the first country in 25 years to become an ASEAN dialogue partner.

As a result, we’ve seen active engagement from its diplomatic team based in Jakarta to engage more closely with the ASEAN region