The new British cabinet's decision on Friday to delay the final sign-off of the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant construction has sparked speculation over the foreign policy tendencies of new Prime Minister Theresa May. A mega project jointly invested in by the UK, China and France, the 18-billion-pound ($24 billion) Hinkley Point C, in which China is to take a one-third stake, is widely viewed as a flagship project for the "golden era" of cooperation between China and the UK.

Following Britain's decision to leave the EU and David Cameron's consequent resignation, George Osborne, who actively pushed forward China-UK cooperation, was removed from the post of chancellor of the exchequer. May postponed the China-invested nuclear power project shortly after she assumed power. Could this indicate the golden era of China-UK relations is coming to an end?

May has no reason to embellish her governance through degrading China-UK ties. Ideology is no longer a factor hindering bilateral relationships.

From the perspective of geopolitics and geo-economics, assume Britain has been caught in a diplomatic predicament following the Brexit referendum, strengthening cooperation with China will be a more effective way of consolidating its position.

May could have personal views of China-UK relations. However, continuing to develop the bilateral relationship tallies with the interests of her administration as well as those of the Conservative Party in every way. Therefore, May has no motive to cool down China-UK relations.

Britain's new cabinet may really need time to review the mega project. Although suspending the nuclear plant risks the UK's reputation, May weighed this and regrettably she would rather provoke criticism internationally than directly take over the duties of her predecessor.

Nonetheless, as a major power in the world, it should be impossible for the UK to scrap an international deal simply due to a change in leadership, otherwise it will be choosing to isolate itself from the world. As a new government was sworn in, Greece halted the privatization of Piraeus port  in which China's COSCO was a major bidder and Sri Lanka suspended the Chinese-invested Colombo Port City project. But both new governments swiftly resumed their designated cooperation with China.

We hope the May government could work with efficiency to figure out the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant and its significance to UK interests. And we hope the new British cabinet will give the seal of approval to the trilateral mega project.

Some media reports are analyzing how devastating it would be to China-UK relations if Hinkley Point C is abandoned. Such hypothetical analyses are of little account. China and the UK are both major powers that abide by the rules. The suspension of the project is just an episode. The general trend is the two countries will further reinforce cooperation.