UK-China ties: warming up, or still lukewarm?
This week, Prime Minister Keir Starmer became the first UK leader to visit China in eight years. His goal was clear: build closer trade ties with Beijing. After meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday, the two countries announced that China would grant visa-free travel for UK citizens for up to 30 days and the UK’s AstraZeneca would invest $15 billion into China. The meeting comes after Westminster approved a plan for a Chinese mega-embassy in London. Though the meeting and the embassy approval suggest that London is growing closer to Beijing – a possible hedge against rockier US relations – Starmer and Xi agreed on little else of substance at the meeting, such as a broader trade pact. This may reflect the UK’s reluctance to get too close to China.
Clashes in Ethiopia raise fears of renewed conflict
Eerily familiar violence has erupted between Ethiopia’s national army and Tigrayan forces in an area still scarred by a brutal war that ended in 2022. The renewed clashes are driven by the same unresolved disputes that fueled the earlier conflict, including Tigray's political power and the federal government’s insistence on a monopoly over the armed forces. These tensions have been exacerbated by international aid cuts – Ethiopia was once the largest recipient of USAID funds in sub-Saharan Africa, but its foreign aid fell by roughly 50% from 2024 to 2025. A return to sustained fighting could further destabilize the wider region, where conflicts are already unfolding in Sudan, South Sudan, and Somalia.
