Keir Starmer began the first visit to China by a British prime minister since 2018 on Wednesday, encouraging businesses to seize opportunities as he aimed at strengthening ties with Beijing amid more volatile relations with the United States.
Starmer, whose approach to China has been criticized by some British and U.S. politicians, emphasized that while Britain must engage with the world’s second-largest economy, it also needs to remain vigilant about potential security threats.
“They say that eight days is a long time in politics. Try eight years, because it’s eight years since a British prime minister stepped on Chinese soil,” Starmer told more than 50 business leaders visiting with him. “You’re part of the change we are bringing about… Everything you’re doing here and everything I’m doing here is focused on how we can benefit people at home.”
On Thursday, Starmer met President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang. The visit could mark a shift in ties between Britain and China after years of acrimony over Beijing’s crackdown in Hong Kong, support for Russia in the Ukraine war, and allegations by British security services that China regularly spies on politicians and officials.
For China, the visit offers an opportunity to portray itself as a stable and reliable partner amid global disorder. “It doesn’t make sense to stick our head in the ground and bury it in the sand when it comes to China,” Starmer told reporters earlier. “We have interests in engaging with them.”
European and other Western countries have engaged in a flurry of diplomacy with China as they hedge against unpredictability from the United States under President Donald Trump.
Starmer’s trip followed tensions with Trump, who had threatened to impose a 100% tariff on Canadian goods if Carney signed a trade deal with China. On Saturday, Trump also warned that Canada could face such tariffs if Carney accepted an offer of free trade between Canada and China.
The UK leader insisted Britain could continue to strengthen economic ties with China without angering Trump, citing their close relationship in areas like defense, security, intelligence, and trade.
Asked about his discussions with Chinese leaders, Starmer declined to say what he would discuss or if he would bring up Jimmy Lai’s conviction for national security crimes. He also did not commit to pressuring Russia to end its war in Ukraine. He said he hoped to make some progress on visa-free travel opportunities for Britons.
Starmer distanced himself from Carney’s comments about middle countries working together to avoid being victimized by American hegemony, describing his stance as pragmatic and applying common sense.
He emphasized that Britain’s relationship with the U.S., while close in defense, security, intelligence, and trade, is not a binary choice. “We hold one of the closest relationships we have,” Starmer said.