Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said the UK will remain “clear-eyed and realistic” about the national security threat posed by China as he travels to Beijing for the first visit by a British leader in eight years. The trip, which includes meetings with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, aims to improve economic ties with the world’s second-largest economy.
Starmer promised “stability and clarity” in relations with China, criticising what he called “inconsistency” under previous Conservative governments. He argued that engaging with China is in the UK’s national interest, noting that China is Britain’s third-largest trading partner and supports 370,000 British jobs. “Like it or not, China matters for the UK,” he said.
The visit comes amid tensions with the US over Donald Trump’s threats regarding Greenland and criticism of the Chagos Islands deal. Downing Street said Starmer would maintain “guardrails” on national security and raise areas of disagreement, including human rights abuses, while discussing economic opportunities.
However, the Conservatives have criticised the trip. Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel accused Starmer of lacking leverage and appeasing Beijing, citing the approval of a new Chinese mega-embassy in London and the Chagos Islands agreement. “Britain cannot afford for him to make any more concessions,” she said.
A No 10 source defended the engagement, stating that refusing to talk would be a “dereliction of duty” and pointing out that other Western leaders, including US President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron, have visited China in recent years. Starmer is accompanied by about 60 British businesses, including HSBC, GSK, and Jaguar Land Rover.
