Beijing
—
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said it was “essential” to build a “more sophisticated relationship” with China as he became the first British leader to visit the country in eight years.
Starmer’s four-day visit comes as Britain seeks to mend strained relations with the world’s second-largest economy in the face of global friction caused by the United States, its closest ally.
“China is an important player on the world stage and it is vital that we build a more sophisticated relationship,” Starmer told Chinese leader Xi Jinping during a meeting at Beijing’s ornate Great Hall of the People on Thursday.
He said: “Our international partnership helps deliver the security and prosperity that the British people deserve, which is why I have been clear for many years that the UK and China need a long-term, consistent and comprehensive strategic partnership.”
Chinese President Xi Jinping also said in remarks to visiting leaders that China was ready to develop a “stable and comprehensive strategic partnership” and called for “creating new momentum” in bilateral relations.
Starmer is the latest in a series of U.S. ally leaders to visit Beijing as U.S. President Donald Trump’s unpredictable foreign policy, including tariff threats and comments earlier this month threatening to take control of Danish Greenland, upends America’s longstanding partnership.
The visit is also a key step in Mr Starmer’s efforts to reset a relationship that has been fraught with mistrust and friction in recent years, and is part of his broader efforts to expand business opportunities with China that will bring economic growth.
Speaking to reporters after his meeting with Xi, Starmer hailed the summit as a “very good, constructive meeting with real results” and stressed there were “huge opportunities” for British business in China. He also described the relationship with the Chinese government as “good and strong.”
He said the two countries had made “fairly good progress” on lowering Chinese whiskey duties and visa-free travel to China, but said the details were still being discussed. Security-related cooperation on “irregular migration” to the UK was also an important outcome, he said.
“These are examples of opening up access to business more widely, which we have discussed at length,” Starmer added.
A delegation of nearly 60 businesses and cultural organizations is visiting as part of Mr Starmer’s delegation, including major British companies HSBC, GSK and Jaguar Land Rover. The group will also visit China’s financial capital, Shanghai.
The visit is seen as a boon for Mr Xi, following the visits by Canada’s Mark Carney earlier this month and France’s Emmanuel Macron in December. Analysts say Beijing has long sought to drive a wedge between China and the United States and its allies, hoping to position itself as a credible defender of free trade and globalization in contrast to the uncertainty posed by President Trump’s “America First” stance.
According to an article published by Chinese state media, President Xi pointed out the rise of “unilateralism, protectionism, and authoritarianism” in his meeting with Starmer. He called China and the UK supporters of multilateralism and free trade and said they could work together to “facilitate the establishment of a more just and equitable global governance system.”
Starmer also alluded to the uncertain international situation, telling Xi in his opening remarks: “Working together on issues like climate change and global stability at a difficult time for the world is exactly what we need to do as we build this relationship.”
He called on both sides to “identify opportunities to cooperate, but of course also allow for meaningful dialogue on areas of disagreement.”
Asked by reporters whether he had raised human rights issues, including the imprisonment of pro-democracy publisher Jimmy Lai in Hong Kong and the alleged mistreatment of China’s Uyghur minority, Starmer said he had raised and “discussed them respectfully”.
Mr Starmer insisted that improving relations with China was essential to expand business opportunities for British companies. His Labor government took office in 2024 with a pledge to put the UK-China relationship on stronger footing.
His visit comes a week after Britain gave the green light to China’s plans to build a “giant” embassy near London’s financial district. The decision had been delayed for months over security concerns about the facility, which would be located near fiber-optic cables carrying sensitive financial company data, and some feared it could be used to spy on Chinese nationals living in London.
Mr Starmer has previously argued that developing business and strengthening ties with China need not compromise national security.
But the British leader will be under pressure to walk a fine line in talks with Mr Xi, something the White House is sure to be monitoring closely.
After Canadian leader Mark Carney visited Beijing earlier this month and announced that Canada would reduce tariffs on some Chinese-made electric vehicles, President Trump threatened to impose 100% tariffs on Canadian imports if Canada signs a trade deal with China.
The visit also comes as European countries are wary of China’s record $1.2 trillion global trade surplus, raising concerns among governments that cheap Chinese goods are hollowing out domestic industries.
