ECONOMIC COOPERATION
Relations between China and the UK deteriorated from 2020 when Beijing imposed a nationwide safety legislation on Hong Kong and cracked down on pro-democracy activists within the former British colony.
Nonetheless, China – the world’s second-largest financial system – stays Britain’s third-largest buying and selling accomplice.
Starmer is accompanied by round 60 enterprise leaders in addition to cultural representatives, as his centre-left Labour authorities appears to fulfil its main purpose of boosting UK financial development.
British pharmaceutical large AstraZeneca introduced throughout the go to that it might make investments US$15 billion in China by means of 2030, hailing the nation as “a crucial contributor to scientific innovation”.
Challenges to the bilateral relationship stay.
Starmer informed reporters that he had additionally mentioned with Xi the case of Hong Kong pro-democracy media mogul Jimmy Lai, 78, who’s going through years in jail after being discovered responsible of collusion fees in December.
“We did have a respectful dialogue about that,” Starmer mentioned, including that he and Chinese language leaders additionally talked concerning the therapy of Uyghurs.
Beijing has been accused of detaining greater than 1,000,000 Uyghurs and different Muslims since 2017.
Alleged spying and cyber assaults, and China’s perceived support for Russia’s war in Ukraine, have additionally strained ties.
Opposition UK politicians have criticised the journey, with Conservative chief Kemi Badenoch responding to hypothesis that Xi might now go to Britain.
“We should always not roll out the pink carpet for a state that conducts each day espionage in our nation, flouts worldwide buying and selling guidelines and aids Putin in his mindless conflict on Ukraine,” she mentioned.
The go to by Starmer, who took the helm in 2024, follows finance minister Rachel Reeves’ journey to Beijing final 12 months.
Starmer’s journey comes as Britain faces a rift with its closest ally, the US, following Trump’s bid to grab Greenland and his transient risk of tariffs in opposition to Britain and different NATO allies.
