UK PM Starmer meets Xi Jinping in Beijing

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday (January 29), marking the first visit by a British prime minister to China since 2018.

The 40-minute meeting, held at the Great Hall of the People, addressed bilateral relations and economic cooperation, reports Reuters.

Following the meeting, Starmer and Xi shared lunch, and Starmer is also scheduled to meet Chinese Premier Li Qiang.

Starmer expressed hope that the talks would strengthen UK-China economic relations and create new business opportunities.

Kerry Brown, a China expert at King’s College London, noted that the two countries could announce several agreements signaling improved ties. The visit comes as European and Western countries increase diplomatic engagement with China amid uncertainties under former US President Donald Trump’s policies.

Starmer’s trip follows Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s recent trade agreement in China. Beijing has described the visit as occurring at a “critical time” and signaled interest in enhancing ties with the UK.