Sir Keir Starmer has become the first British prime minister to visit China since Theresa May in 2018, seeking to begin a thaw in relations after what he described as an “ice age”. The trip comes amid heightened tensions over Chinese spying, cyber-attacks, and sanctions on UK politicians.
During his visit, Starmer held over three hours of talks with President Xi Jinping and secured 10 agreements, including a visa waiver, cuts to whisky tariffs, and Chinese investment in British firms. A British official described the deals as “jam tomorrow”, but Downing Street stressed the importance of establishing a “more sophisticated” future relationship.
Starmer raised human rights issues, including the cases of pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai and the Uyghur community. A key outcome was China lifting sanctions on six serving British parliamentarians. However, the prime minister faces criticism at home and a warning from US President Donald Trump that the engagement is “very dangerous”.
Despite the challenges, Starmer’s team viewed the trip as a confidence boost. He is expected to return to Westminster on Monday, where he must confront domestic political and policy issues.
