British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has landed in Beijing after permits were issued for China’s massive new embassy in central London (Royal Mint Court), a development that has generated political concern in the UK. Tory Opposition Leader Kemi Badenoch accused the British Prime Minister of yielding to Chinese pressure.
The Prime Minister is travelling with a high-level delegation of major British business representatives, including executives from HSBC, AstraZeneca, GSK, and AirBus as part of a broader effort to reset economic relations with China.
During his visit, Starmer is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and senior members of the Chinese leadership to discuss trade, investment, and financial cooperation, as well as areas of strategic disagreement such as security, technology and human rights. The talks are expected to focus on stabilising bilateral relations while maintaining the UK’s stated commitment to national security and allied coordination.
This is the first visit of a British Prime Minister to China in 8 years.
Following meetings in Beijing, the British Prime Minister is due to travel to Shanghai, where he is expected to hold discussions with business leaders and attend events aimed at promoting UK–China commercial ties. After concluding his programme in China, Starmer is expected to travel onwards to Japan, where talks will centre on security cooperation, supply chains and Indo-Pacific stability.
Downing Street said the visit forms part of a wider diplomatic push to engage with key global powers while protecting British strategic interests, though critics have warned that recent concessions risk sending mixed signals on the government’s stance towards Beijing.
The visit has also reignited concerns over human rights, particularly the continued detention of pro-democracy publisher Jimmy Lai in Hong Kong. British officials are expected to raise Lai’s case privately, amid pressure from MPs and human rights groups who argue that any reset in relations with Beijing must include clear demands for respect for the rule of law and press freedom.
Newsroom
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