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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer Kicks Off Crucial China Visit to Reinvigorate Trade Ties
Beijing, China – British Prime Minister Keir Starmer landed in Beijing on Wednesday, leading a sizable 60-member delegation for a three-day official visit. The trip marks a significant push to boost trade and re-establish engagement with China after nearly a decade of strained relations.
Addressing business and cultural leaders accompanying him, Prime Minister Starmer emphasized their role in “making history” as part of his government’s commitment to transforming Britain’s economy. This initiative aligns with his electoral promise to revive the nation’s stagnant economic growth.
“We are resolute about being outward-looking, about taking opportunities, about building relationships and always being absolutely focused on our national interest,” Starmer stated to the group, which included executives from prominent organizations such as HSBC, Airbus, GSK, the National Theatre, the Science Museum, and Table Tennis England.
With China’s economy projected to grow at 5% compared to Britain’s anticipated 1.5% in 2025, Prime Minister Starmer is hopeful that this visit will infuse some of China’s economic dynamism into the United Kingdom.
On Thursday, Starmer is scheduled to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping for discussions on trade, investment, and national security. This will be the first meeting between a British leader and President Xi since former Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May’s visit in February 2018. Following the Beijing talks, Starmer will travel to Shanghai to engage with British and Chinese businesses in the country’s financial hub.
Downing Street stated that the Prime Minister will advocate for increased access in sectors where enhanced cooperation with China could stimulate growth and prosperity for the British people. This includes the UK’s leading financial services, creative industries, and life sciences expertise.
However, the statement also underscored a firm stance: “He will be clear that we will not trade economic cooperation for our national security. He will raise the areas where we disagree with China — being clear that we will always defend our national security and where viewpoints differ, frank and open dialogue is of vital importance.”
Yu Jie, a research fellow at Chatham House, noted that China is seeking geopolitical capital and expanded market access for its investments in Britain, which currently constitute a “very minimal” 0.7% of direct foreign investment. Yu suggested that Beijing might view Britain as a reliable partner offering “order and organization” amidst the “disruption” caused by U.S. President Donald Trump’s foreign policies.
Prime Minister Starmer’s arrival in China comes precisely one week after his government approved Beijing’s long-delayed plans to construct a new “super embassy” in London, a project that has drawn criticism regarding potential spying concerns and national security threats.
The visit is part of a recent series of trips to Beijing by heads of government this year, including leaders from Ireland, South Korea, Finland, and Canada. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, during his visit on January 16, unveiled a “strategic partnership” and a new trade deal, signaling a warming of relations between Ottawa and Beijing after nearly a decade. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is also expected to visit China on February 24 for a three-day trip.
The “golden age” of Sino-British relations, which reached its peak during former Prime Minister David Cameron’s administration and famously included him sharing a pint with Xi in a local pub in 2015, began to deteriorate in 2019 amidst a crackdown on civil rights protests in Hong Kong and other human rights disagreements.