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UK-China relations are complex, and they have undergone several changes under different UK governments and Chinese leaders. From the UK side, UK-China relations have been through ‘golden ages’ particularly under the years of David Cameron, (2010-2020), where it has been suggested that ‘Cameron’s engagement with China was a response to the crisis of the global economy in 2008 and the divergence of the economies of China and the West’.

In the ongoing strategic rivalry between the United States and China, much attention has been paid to tariffs, export restrictions, industrial policies, and the reconfiguration of global supply chains. But these advances cannot be explained solely in terms of material or economic factors. These phenomena arise not only from the struggle over material resources but also reflect more profound tensions over issues of identity and sovereignty. The notion of “identity capital”, as identified in my book Shaping Nations and Markets: Identity Capital, Trade, and the Populist Rage, helps us understand the importance of narratives of nationhood in shaping economic and geopolitical dynamics.

Amid the Iran-US clash disrupting the Strait of Hormuz and global oil supplies, India has deepened energy ties with Russia. This pragmatic shift highlights New Delhi’s strategic autonomy, balancing energy security with Western partnerships in a fractured geopolitical landscape.

Although the expiration of the New START agreement and rising doubts about the utility of arms control have become apparent, abandoning discussions on further arms agreements will be a strategically shortsighted. Although the Russian aggression in Ukraine, Russian modernisation of its nuclear forces and increasing military cooperation between Moscow and Beijing have added to the threat environment, a fully uncontrolled nuclear arms race will lead to mistrust and escalate the chances of nuclear escalation.

Myanmar has become a key geopolitical battleground in the India–China rivalry. China seeks strategic access to the Indian Ocean, while India views Myanmar as vital to its Act East Policy. Through connectivity projects and infrastructure investments, both powers are competing for long-term influence in the Indo-Pacific region.