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ОТНОШЕНИЯ КИТАЯ, ВЕЛИКОБРИТАНИИ И ЕС ДО И ПОСЛЕ BREXIT
The article is devoted to the development of China's relations with the UK and the EU in the process and as a result of Brexit. Nowadays the European direction in the foreign policy is one of the priorities for Beijing. In particular, since 2014 there has been an unprecedented upsurge in the foreign policy activity of the People's Republic of China in Europe. One of the EU Member States on which Beijing has focused its attention is the United Kingdom, which Chinese companies consider as a springboard for penetrating the European market, while China itself, while developing strategic cooperation with this country, acquires opportunity to increase its economic and financial influence in Europe. The United Kingdom has became the first EU country to join the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, established under the auspices of China. The UK generally gives positive consideration to the “One Belt, One Road” initiative, put forward by the PRC in 2013. Great Britain also opened the first clearing centre for the renminbi outside the Asian region and became the first foreign country to issue sovereign bonds in China's currency. Nevertheless, the UK's withdrawal from the EU in 2016 became an unpleasant surprise for China, as it lost a strategic ally within the EU, and therefore had to adjust its European policy. The authors consider the reaction of the Chinese leadership to the UK's exit from the European Union, as well as actions taken by China to change its foreign policy strategy in the European direction in new conditions. Special attention is paid to the opinion of Chinese experts assessing prospects of China's relations with the UK and the EU after Brexit. The authors analyze results of meetings of the EU Member States and China leaders, relevant statements and signed agreements, which are fundamentally significant in the context of this article, and draw conclusions about what policy Beijing adheres to in Europe and what adjustments it makes to it.