Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer addresses a enterprise delegation following his arrival to China, at a lodge in Beijing on January 28, 2026.
Carl Court docket | Afp | Getty Photographs
After years of strained ties, China and the U.Ok. on Thursday pledged to develop a long-term strategic partnership following a high-stakes assembly between Chinese language President Xi Jinping and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Starmer is on a 4-day go to to China, the primary journey by a British prime minister in eight years — signaling an try at resetting relations between the 2 nations after years of mistrust and acrimony.
The U.Ok. has typically accused China of conducting espionage within the nation, and labeled it as a long-term strategic problem. Monetary Occasions reported on Tuesday that British officers had been planning to tighten scrutiny of Chinese language exercise over issues about nationwide safety dangers.
Beijing’s crackdowns on democratic protests in Hong Kong, a former British colony, and imposition of a sweeping nationwide safety legislature in 2020 additional strained bilateral ties, whereas U.Ok. companies in China have flagged a difficult enterprise local weather within the nation.
The British authorities in December moved to clamp down on two tech firms based mostly in China allegedly for finishing up cyberattacks that it stated had undermined U.Ok. safety and prosperity.
Towards that backdrop, the assertion on Thursday seems to sign a optimistic growth in relations.
The 2 nations stated they may broaden cooperation in key areas together with schooling, healthcare, finance and synthetic intelligence analysis, organic sciences and new vitality growth, in keeping with an announcement launched by Chinese language state media.
Beijing can even contemplate opening visa-free entry for British nationals, the assertion stated, whereas urging London to create a good and non-discriminatory atmosphere for Chinese language corporations working within the U.Ok.
Starmer instructed Xi at first of the assembly that it was “very important that we construct a extra subtle relationship” permitting either side to establish areas for additional collaborations and dialogue, in keeping with Reuters.
London will keep high-level shut communications with Beijing and deepen commerce and funding partnerships, in keeping with the Chinese language readout.
Turning to China?
Xi stated that “unilateralism, protectionism and energy politics have been rampant, severely impacting the worldwide order,” urging main financial powers to “take the lead” in implementing worldwide legal guidelines, “in any other case they may regress to a jungle-like world.” That is in keeping with a CNBC translation of the Chinese language assertion.
Starmer’s journey comes at a time when U.S. President Donald Trump’s overseas coverage and tariff threats have unsettled conventional allies, whereas Beijing has hosted a number of Western leaders simply this month together with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Eire’s Prime Minister Michael Martin — the first go to by an Irish chief in 14 years — and Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo.
Starmer’s diplomatic shift seems to reflect that of Canada which signed a commerce settlement with China earlier this month following a go to by Carney, as Ottawa seems to diversify commerce and funding companions amid persistent frictions with Washington.
On Wednesday, Starmer known as on dozens of British enterprise leaders touring with him to grab alternatives on the planet’s second largest economic system.
The U.Ok. authorities stated in its assertion Wednesday that it could pursue a “strategic and constant relationship” with Beijing, searching for to bolster new funding and commerce relations whereas remaining vigilant about potential safety threats.
Final week, the U.Ok. authorities accepted plans to open a brand new sprawling Chinese language Embassy in London, after the proposal had stalled for years over political and safety issues.
U.Ok. companies in China have been confronted with a deteriorating enterprise atmosphere for the previous six consecutive years, in keeping with the British Chamber of Commerce in China.
Almost 60% of the greater than 300 British corporations surveyed stated doing enterprise within the nation was more durable than it was a 12 months in the past, the physique stated in a report in December. “General enterprise panorama stays complicated and sometimes unpredictable,” it stated, citing financial slowdown, regulatory pressures and geopolitical dangers.
However there haven’t been robust indicators of a broad shift towards withdrawing from the Chinese language market, the report stated, with many corporations persevering with to view China as a key market, though they gave the impression to be extra cautious with enlargement plans.
The U.Ok.’s commerce deficit with China ballooned by over 18% 12 months on 12 months to 42 billion kilos ($58.1 billion) within the 12 months ending June 2025, in keeping with the U.Ok. authorities knowledge.
— CNBC’s Evelyn Cheng contributed to this report.
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