Keir Starmer’s visit to China — the first by a UK prime minister in eight years — seeks to restart trade while managing security and human-rights concerns that have strained relations since 2020. The trip follows a 2024 thaw with President Xi and the recent approval of a planned Chinese embassy in London. Starmer will press for business ties, raise the case of Jimmy Lai, and discuss climate and geopolitical issues, though analysts expect modest concrete gains.
Not Allies, Not Adversaries: Keir Starmer’s High-Stakes China Visit
Britain's Keir Starmer is in China this week, marking the first visit by a UK prime minister in eight years (Jordan Pettitt)(Jordan Pettitt/POOL/AFP)
Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer is visiting China this week — the first trip by a UK prime minister to Beijing in eight years. The visit aims to revive strained economic ties while carefully balancing growing security and human-rights concerns that have soured relations since 2020.
Where Do Relations Stand?
Once described as a "Golden Era," UK-China relations have deteriorated since Beijing imposed a national security law on Hong Kong in 2020 and moved against pro-democracy activists. Allegations of human-rights abuses, concerns about espionage and cyber activity, and Beijing’s economic ties with Russia over the Ukraine war have all contributed to friction.
Despite tensions, China remains the UK’s third-largest trading partner. British government figures show UK exports to China fell sharply — down 52.6% year-on-year in 2025 — underscoring the commercial cost of strained relations.
Why Now?
Ties began to thaw after a private meeting between Starmer and President Xi in Brazil in 2024, where the UK prime minister signalled willingness to cooperate on issues such as climate change. A major sticking point — plans for a large new Chinese embassy on the former Royal Mint site in London — was recently approved, removing a diplomatic obstacle to the visit. UK intelligence agencies say they have measures in place to manage any risks connected to the embassy.
The trip also comes amid a growing rift between the UK and the United States under the Trump administration, prompting London to re-evaluate elements of its international strategy. With a sluggish domestic economy, Starmer is under pressure to secure commercial deals and reinvigorate trade.
What’s On The Table?
Starmer travels with business executives seeking to reactivate the dormant UK-China CEO Council as a vehicle to boost trade and investment. He is also expected to raise human-rights concerns, notably the case of Hong Kong media tycoon and British citizen Jimmy Lai, who faces long prison terms after conviction under the national security law.
Other likely topics include cooperation on climate change, trade facilitation, people-to-people exchanges, and the wider geopolitical implications of China’s economic relationship with Russia amid the war in Ukraine.
Analysts’ Take: Observers describe the visit as a move toward "managed re-engagement" rather than renewed strategic trust — a cautious effort to regain pragmatic ties while keeping strategic safeguards in place.
While the visit could yield progress on business links and climate cooperation, experts predict concrete outcomes will probably be modest. The trip is significant less for blockbuster deals than for signalling a calibrated reset in an increasingly complex relationship.
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