UK Chancellor Reeves recently stated in an interview with British media that not engaging with China is "foolish" and emphasized that the UK should maintain good economic relations with China.
According to China News Service, Rachel Reeves noted that she attended the UK-China Economic and Financial Dialogue earlier this year in China to enhance the capabilities of British financial service firms operating there. "These arrangements clearly align with the UK's national interest, and I will adopt this approach in trade negotiations or financial dialogues with any country in the world," she said.
Reeves is scheduled to attend a series of meetings, including the G20 Finance Ministers meeting in the United States next week, and will meet with U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to discuss the UK-US trade agreement.
When asked about her views on engaging with China, Reeves responded: "China is the world's second-largest economy. I think it's very foolish not to engage with it. This is the attitude of the current government."
Reeves stated that the UK should establish deeper partnerships with China rather than setting new obstacles.
Reeves said she supports Chinese fast fashion company SHEIN listing on the London Stock Exchange and is happy to ride in Chinese-made electric vehicles.
"I think many of us in London have taken (electric) taxis. They are produced in the UK, and the owner is a Chinese company. I think it's a good thing that London has these electric taxis. They are also very popular with taxi drivers," she said.