UK’s Starmer tells Xi he wants ‘sophisticated’ ties with China

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told Chinese President Xi Jinping that he wants to build a "sophisticated relationship" with Beijing to boost economic growth and security today (29 January), signalling a reset after years of strained ties between the two countries.

On the most important day of his four-day visit to China—the first by a British prime minister in eight years—Starmer held an 80-minute summit with Xi at the Great Hall of the People, followed by a lunch. He is also scheduled to meet Premier Li Qiang later in the day.

Starmer, whose centre-left Labour government has struggled to deliver on its growth promises, has prioritised improving relations with the world's second-largest economy, despite lingering concerns over espionage and human rights.

"China is a vital player on the global stage, and it's vital that we build a more sophisticated relationship where we can identify opportunities to collaborate, but also allow for meaningful dialogue on areas where we disagree," Starmer told Xi at the start of their meeting.

Xi said ties between China and Britain had gone through "twists and turns" that had not served the interests of either country, adding that China was ready to develop a long-term strategic partnership.

"We can deliver a result that can withstand the test of history," Xi said, flanked by senior ministers.

Starmer is the latest Western leader to step up diplomatic engagement with China, as countries hedge against uncertainty stemming from the United States under President Donald Trump.

Trump's intermittent threats of trade tariffs and his pledge to seize control of Greenland—an autonomous territory of Denmark—have unsettled long-standing US allies, including Britain.

Starmer's visit follows closely after that of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who signed an economic agreement with Beijing to remove trade barriers, a move that drew criticism from Trump.

Kerry Brown, professor of Chinese studies at King's College London, said he expected several Britain-China deals to be announced to demonstrate improved ties. Starmer is accompanied by more than 50 business leaders, underlining his focus on securing economic gains.

Tackling migrant smuggling gangs

Starmer has adopted a new policy of engagement with China after relations deteriorated under previous Conservative governments, which curtailed Chinese investment over national security concerns and raised alarms about the erosion of political freedoms in Hong Kong.

"I made the promise 18 months ago, when we were elected into government, that I would make Britain face outwards again," Starmer told Xi.
"Because, as we all know, events abroad affect everything that happens back home—from prices on supermarket shelves to how secure we feel."

Britain's opposition Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch said on Wednesday that she would not have visited China due to the security risks the country poses.

British security services have repeatedly accused China of spying on the government—claims Beijing has denied.

In a sign of cooperation, Downing Street said Starmer and Xi would announce a joint initiative to tackle criminal gangs involved in trafficking illegal migrants.

The agreement will focus on curbing the use of Chinese-made engines in small boats used to transport migrants across Europe. British and Chinese officials will share intelligence to identify smugglers' supply routes and work with manufacturers to prevent legitimate businesses from being exploited by organised crime, Downing Street said.

Starmer told reporters en route to China that he would "raise the issues that need to be raised" on human rights, including the case of Jimmy Lai, the former Hong Kong media tycoon and British citizen convicted in December on national security charges.

After arriving in Beijing late Wednesday, Starmer dined at a restaurant known for its mushroom-based dishes, which also hosted former US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen during her 2023 visit.

A video posted on China's Weibo platform showed Starmer practising the Chinese phrase for thank you—"xie xie"—with restaurant staff as he posed for photographs.