British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak Stresses The Need To Change His Country's Position on China

Rishi Sunak Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the so-called "golden age" of relations with China is over, vowing to "develop" the UK's stance on Beijing.

Sunak, in his first foreign policy speech, described the close economic ties with China as "naive".

He stressed that the United Kingdom needs at the present time to replace the visionary thinking with "strong pragmatism" in its relationship with competitors.

But he cautioned against "Cold War rhetoric," stressing that China's global importance cannot be ignored.

The British prime minister has faced pressure from Conservative MPs, who do not hold positions in government, to take a more assertive stance on China since taking office as party chairman and prime minister last month.