Deeper engagement stressed

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in the Chinese financial center of Shanghai on Friday, during the second leg of his four-day visit to China, and made the first stop at a classic Chinese garden to add to his experiences to gain what he called a broader understanding of the country.

Starmer, who is the first United Kingdom head of government to visit China in eight years, made time out of his packed diplomatic and business schedule to experience Chinese culture in both Beijing and Shanghai, because he said he hoped to "see the whole elephant" as mentioned by President Xi Jinping.

On Thursday, while meeting with business delegates in Beijing, Starmer recalled that President Xi recently cited the parable of the blind men and the elephant to highlight how many people have only a partial understanding of China.

According to the parable, one blind man touches the elephant's trunk and thinks it's a snake; another feels the leg and thinks it's a pillar; and a third touches the belly and says it's a wall.

"Too often, this reflects how China is seen," Starmer was quoted as saying by the BBC. "But I profoundly believe that broader and deeper engagement, which we've been talking about all this week, is our way of seeing the whole elephant and, therefore, building a more sophisticated relationship fit for these times."

Starmer added: "I would like to echo a Chinese phrase, which I think captures the essence of what I'm talking about: Pursue common goals whilst reserving differences. That's what we are working together to achieve."

On Friday, the British PM toured Yuyuan Garden, a more than 450-year-old landmark located in Shanghai's Huangpu district, which embodies the essence of classical Chinese landscaping and creates visual poetry through pavilions, rockeries, ponds and winding corridors.

Light showers no deterrent, Starmer strolled along Jiuquqiao, or the nine-bend zigzag bridge; tried Shanghai's famous palmier at a shop near the bridge; visited Huxinting, which is a pavilion in the middle of a pond; and admired lantern decorations for the upcoming Chinese New Year. He also frequently waved at other visitors to the garden.

Before flying to Shanghai on Friday, the British PM enjoyed a guided tour of the Palace Museum in Beijing on Thursday. In 2018, the then British prime minister, Theresa May, had also toured both the Palace Museum and Yuyuan Garden.

Wang Yiwei, director of Renmin University of China's Institute of International Affairs, said choosing the Palace Museum and Yuyuan Garden as key stops is a thoughtful move that aims to foster a feeling of closeness, laying a good foundation for economic and trade discussions between the two countries.

Starmer's itinerary reflects a smart approach: Culture paves the way, business follows, Wang said, adding that such activities would help enhance the UK's image in China.

Earlier, upon arrival in Beijing on Wednesday evening, Starmer and his delegation had dinner at a Sanlitun area restaurant serving the cuisine of Yunnan province. They all used chopsticks.

According to a video released by the restaurant on its social media account, after the meal, the British PM received as a gift a traditional woodblock print symbolizing prosperity and success in the Chinese Year of the Horse. He said "xie xie" to convey his gratitude in Chinese, and took photos with the restaurant staff.

The video garnered wide attention online, with some users coining the phrase "mushroom diplomacy", as Yunnan cuisine is well-known for using wild mushrooms.

Many praised the British delegation's itinerary choice, with comments like "Chinese food first — cultural exchange comes before everything else" and "Eat your fill before getting down to the real work", emphasizing the key role of soft power in diplomatic engagements.

Noting the British delegation's cultural tours during the visit, Wang, from Renmin University, said that such activities showed the UK's keen interest in strengthening cultural and educational cooperation with China.

"Diplomacy shouldn't be confined to high-level interactions. It is important to 'do as the locals do' and connect with the public, as the people are our best teachers," he added.

Contact the writers at zhoujin@chinadaily.com.cn