'Golden era' with China over: UK PM Rishi Sunak

New Delhi: UK Prime Minister said the "golden era" of relations with China was over, suggesting setback in bilateral ties between both nations.

Sunak's remarks came closely after a BCC journalist, reporting the protests in China, was assaulted, dragged and cuffed by Chinese police on Sunday.

Citing Beijing's systemic challenge to Britain's interests and values as growing more acute, he said that the so-called golden era is over, according to a report by Reuters.

British prime minister, making his major foreign policy speech since taking over power weeks ago, said Britain's "approach to China needed to evolve" added that Beijing was "consciously competing for global influence using all the levers of state power."

"We recognise China poses a systemic challenge to our values and interests, a challenge that grows more acute as it moves towards even greater authoritarianism," Sunak said.

Meanwhile, UK government condemned violent arrest of the BBC journalist in China and earlier last week authorities in London banned Chinese-made security cameras from sensitive buildings.

British foreign secretary James Cleverly asked China to take note of the nationwide protest against its zero covid policy, adding that protests against the government are rare in China.

Protests erupted in several places in China against the strict lockdowns and restrictions imposed as part of the controversial zero covid policy.

While the rest of the world is back in normal life China is still fighting an increasing number of covid cases for months, despite the government's strict efforts to stop the spread of viruses.