LONDON – British Prime Minister Keir Starmer departs late Tuesday for China, marking the first official visit by a UK premier since 2018, as he seeks to revive trade ties despite lingering tensions over human rights, spying allegations, and global conflicts.
Starmer’s itinerary includes a key bilateral meeting with President Xi Jinping, where thorny issues like Beijing’s purported rights abuses, Russia’s war in Ukraine, and espionage claims may surface. He will then proceed to Japan on January 31 for a short stop, Tokyo’s foreign ministry confirmed. A Downing Street spokesman noted the trip would cover trade, investment, and more, without elaborating further.
The visit underscores Starmer’s drive to reset relations with the economic giant, especially as the UK grapples with sluggish growth following frosty ties under the prior Conservative administration. It arrives amid controversy over the government’s recent approval of a massive 20,000-square-meter Chinese “mega-embassy” in central London, the largest in the UK by area, sited at the historic former Royal Mint near the Tower of London.
Local residents and activists protest the project, fearing it could enable surveillance and harassment of dissidents, though UK intelligence has shaped risk-mitigation measures and Beijing pledged to consolidate its seven existing London sites. Starmer acknowledged in December that China offers economic opportunities but poses “real national security threats.” He is also set to advocate for jailed Hong Kong pro-democracy figure Jimmy Lai, convicted last month on collusion charges.
Relations hit rock bottom in 2020 after Beijing’s national security law curbed freedoms in the former British colony. This trip builds on Finance Minister Rachel Reeves’ 2025 Beijing visit, as Labour prioritizes economic revival, despite backlash from sanctioned UK lawmakers critical of China’s Hong Kong policies and rights record.
King’s College London’s Lau China Institute director Professor Kerry Brown highlighted the pragmatic upside: “It’s time for the UK to show that engaging China creates jobs and boosts the economy.” He views the outreach as timely amid shifting global dynamics under US President Donald Trump, urging a rethink of alliances where “China might not be an ally, but it is also not an enemy.”