UK PM Starmer Lands in China after Eight Years as Global Leaders Turn to Beijing
- Prime Minister Keir Starmer has arrived in Beijing on his first official visit to China, marking the first such trip by a British leader since 2018
- The visit aimed to recalibrate UK-China relations through political dialogue and expanded business engagement amid shifting Western alliances
- Starmer insisted Britain could pursue economic ties with China while maintaining close defence and security cooperation with the United States
Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in Beijing on Wednesday, January 28, marking the first visit to China by a British leader since 2018 and signalling a renewed push to recalibrate ties with the world’s second-largest economy.
The trip comes at a time of mounting strain within Western alliances and growing uncertainty over the direction of United States foreign policy.
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According to BBC, Starmer is accompanied by a large delegation of business and cultural figures, as London seeks to balance economic engagement with long-standing security and human rights concerns.
He said Britain must remain alert to risks while recognising that disengagement from China is not a viable option for a major trading nation.
Visit to China in Britain's interest - Starmer
Speaking to reporters during the journey, Starmer said engagement with Beijing was firmly in Britain’s interests.
“It doesn't make sense to stick our head in the ground and bury it in the sand when it comes to China, it's in our interests to engage,” he said.
He added that the visit was expected to deliver practical outcomes, including possible movement on visa-free travel.
Starmer is scheduled to meet President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang on Thursday before travelling to Shanghai for talks with business leaders.
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More than 50 executives are on the trip, with representatives from sectors including finance, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, and the arts.
Relations between Britain and China have been tense for several years, shaped by Beijing’s actions in Hong Kong, its ties with Russia during the war in Ukraine, and repeated warnings from British security agencies about alleged espionage activities targeting politicians and officials.
Global politics shape Beijing visit
The timing of the visit has drawn attention due to friction between European capitals and Washington. Several Western governments have stepped up diplomacy with China amid concerns over unpredictability under US President Donald Trump.
Starmer has faced recent tensions with Trump over Greenland, the Chagos Islands agreement, and remarks about NATO allies’ roles in Afghanistan.
Despite this backdrop, Starmer rejected suggestions that closer economic ties with China would undermine relations with Washington.
“The relationship we have with the U.S. is one of the closest relationships we hold, on defence, security, intelligence and also on trade and lots of areas,” he said.
He declined to outline whether he would raise the imprisonment of Hong Kong media figure Jimmy Lai or press Beijing to influence Moscow over Ukraine, saying discussions with Chinese leaders would cover areas of disagreement where British values differ.
China matters to UK- Starmer
Downing Street has defended the visit as a necessary step after years of what it described as inconsistent policy towards China.
Ahead of the trip, Starmer said:
“For years, our approach to China has been dogged by inconsistency… but like it or not, China matters for the UK.”
The government argues Britain risks becoming an outlier among major Western economies if it avoids engagement. Canada and France have sent leaders to Beijing recently, while Germany and France have maintained regular high-level contacts.
Critics at home remain unconvinced. Conservative figures have warned that China poses a serious national security threat and accused the government of conceding too much ground, particularly after approving plans for a large new Chinese embassy in London.
After completing engagements in Beijing and Shanghai, Starmer is expected to travel to Tokyo for talks with Japan’s new prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, continuing a tour shaped by shifting global alliances.
US introduces tough visa rules
Legit.ng earlier reported that tourists from dozens of countries, including the UK, could be asked to provide a five-year social media history as a condition of entry to the US, under a new proposal unveiled by American officials.
The new condition would affect people from dozens of countries who are eligible to visit the US for 90 days without a visa, as long as they have filled out an Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) form.
Source: Legit.ng
