UK PM Starmer heads to China for landmark visit
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is beginning a three-day visit to China on Wednesday, where he is set to defend what London describes as a “pragmatic” partnership with Beijing following several years of strained relations.
The trip marks the first visit to the Chinese capital by a UK prime minister since 2018 and comes amid renewed diplomatic engagement with China by a number of Western leaders, as global alignments shift away from a volatile United States, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
As part of the journey, Starmer will also make a brief stop in Japan, where he is scheduled to meet Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
For Chinese President Xi Jinping, Starmer’s visit offers an opportunity to present Beijing as a dependable international partner at a time when policies pursued by US President Donald Trump have unsettled long-standing relationships between Washington and its Western allies.
Starmer is expected to arrive in Beijing at around 0930 GMT on Wednesday. His schedule includes a lunch meeting with Xi on Thursday, followed by talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang.
According to a statement from Downing Street, discussions during the visit will focus on “trade, investment and national security,” with Starmer pledging to bring “stability and clarity in the government’s approach” to relations with China.
Speaking on Wednesday, Starmer described the trip as “a really important” one for the United Kingdom, saying he hoped it would lead to “some real progress.” He told reporters travelling with him that there were clear “opportunities” to deepen bilateral ties.
“It doesn’t make sense to stick our head in the ground and bury it in the sand when it comes to China,” Starmer said. “It’s in our interests to engage, while not compromising on national security.”
China has welcomed the visit, with foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun saying Beijing is “willing to take this visit as an opportunity to enhance political mutual trust” between the two countries.
The trip comes against the backdrop of escalating trade tensions involving Washington, including Trump’s threats to impose tariffs on Canada over its trade agreement with China, as well as his push to establish a new international institution under the banner of a “Board of Peace.” In response, Beijing has been using high-level visits to reaffirm its support for the United Nations and the existing international system.
By Nijat Babayev
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