British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to arrive in China on Wednesday evening, launching the first visit by a UK leader in more than six years as London seeks to rebuild political and business ties with Beijing amid growing uncertainty in global alliances.
The trip comes at a delicate moment for Western diplomacy, with shifting US foreign policy priorities pushing several allies to reassess their economic and strategic engagement with China.
Starmer’s visit marks a potential turning point after years of strained relations driven by concerns over Hong Kong, cybersecurity, and China’s alignment with Russia following the invasion of Ukraine.
Speaking to reporters while en route to Beijing, Starmer said Britain must balance economic engagement with caution, stressing that disengagement was not a realistic option.
“It doesn’t make sense to stick our head in the ground and bury it in the sand when it comes to China,” Starmer said, adding that engagement with the world’s second largest economy was firmly in Britain’s national interest.
Starmer is traveling with a delegation of more than 50 senior business figures, underlining the commercial focus of the visit.
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On Thursday, he is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang in Beijing. He will then travel to Shanghai on Friday for discussions with executives and local officials, according to statements from Downing Street.
British officials said the talks will cover trade, investment, climate cooperation, and global security, while also raising areas of disagreement where the two sides have clashed in recent years.
Starmer said the visit was designed to deliver tangible outcomes.
“It’s going to be a really important trip for us and we’ll make some real progress,” he said.
Relations between Britain and China have been tense since 2019, when Beijing imposed a sweeping national security law in Hong Kong, prompting criticism and policy responses from London.
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UK security agencies have also accused China of targeting British politicians and officials through espionage efforts, claims Beijing has repeatedly denied. At the same time, London has expressed concern over China’s diplomatic and economic backing of Moscow.
Despite those disagreements, officials on both sides now appear eager to stabilize ties.
For Beijing, the visit offers an opportunity to present itself as a steady international partner at a time of geopolitical disruption, according to analysts cited by Reuters.
Starmer’s visit unfolds against the backdrop of renewed tension with former US President Donald Trump, whose recent statements and trade threats have unsettled allies.
In recent weeks, Trump criticized Britain’s agreement to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius and warned NATO allies over defense commitments. He also threatened steep tariffs against Canada if Ottawa deepened trade ties with China.
Starmer said Britain’s engagement with China would not come at the expense of its alliance with Washington.
“The relationship we have with the US is one of the closest we hold,” he said, pointing to cooperation on defense, intelligence, security, and trade.
