British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Wednesday began the first visit to China by a UK prime minister since 2018, encouraging British businesses to capitalise on economic opportunities as London seeks to recalibrate its relationship with Beijing amid growing volatility in ties with the United States.
Read More: Starmer seeks China ties amid US tensions
Speaking to a delegation of more than 50 business leaders in Beijing, Starmer said the visit marked a historic moment after an eight-year hiatus at the highest political level. He stressed that engagement with China, the world’s second-largest economy, was necessary to advance Britain’s national interests, while underscoring the need to remain alert to potential security risks.
BREAKING: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has arrived in Beijing with 60 top executives from HSBC, GSK, Jaguar Land Rover, Airbus, and others, explicitly to beg for more Chinese investment in the UK and deeper access to the Chinese market.
This is Britain selling out to China in… pic.twitter.com/Bu9FD0zTkJ
— Ian Miles Cheong (@ianmiles) January 28, 2026
🚨🇨🇳🇬🇧 “I want to take advantage of China and all you have to offer” – Keir Starmer in China
“Working on issues like climate change together – is precisely what we should be doing”
“I’ve being clear for a long time, that the UK and China need a consistent, long-term,… pic.twitter.com/jjo47GSRDC
— Concerned Citizen (@BGatesIsaPyscho) January 29, 2026
“Labour is laying the groundwork to SELL the United Kingdom off to China.”
Starmer says “China matters” as he heads to Beijing with business leaders.
If China matters, transparency matters too.
He says ‘China matters’ like we haven’t spent years calling them a security threat. pic.twitter.com/YBTfBIAhVT
— Benonwine (@benonwine) January 28, 2026
Starmer acknowledged that his approach to China has drawn criticism from some politicians in Britain and the United States. However, he said disengagement was not a realistic option and argued that constructive dialogue was essential to delivering economic benefits at home. “Everything we’re doing here is focused on how we benefit people in Britain,” he told the delegation.
The prime minister is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang on Thursday. The visit comes after several years of strained relations between London and Beijing, driven by concerns over China’s actions in Hong Kong, its support for Russia during the Ukraine war, and allegations by British security services of espionage targeting UK politicians and officials.
For China, Starmer’s visit offers an opportunity to project itself as a stable and dependable partner at a time of global uncertainty. The trip also reflects a broader trend of renewed diplomatic engagement with Beijing by European and other Western countries, as they hedge against unpredictability in US foreign policy under President Donald Trump.
Read More: Keir Starmer arrives in beijing for historic visit
Starmer’s visit follows recent tensions with Washington, including disagreements over Trump’s comments on Greenland, criticism of Britain’s decision to cede sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius, and remarks about Nato allies’ roles in the Afghanistan war.