UK and China seek to rebuild ties as Starmer meets Xi in Beijing

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Thursday that their countries’ relationship is entering a new phase. During Starmer’s visit to China, both sides signaled plans for closer economic cooperation, according to Reuters.

Starmer is the first British prime minister to visit China in eight years. He met with Xi in Beijing for several hours to discuss trade, security, the war in Ukraine and human rights. Both leaders said they want to build a more stable, long-term relationship.

Starmer traveled to China with a large group of British business leaders. A planned $15 billion investment by AstraZeneca in China highlighted both countries’ interest in closer economic ties.

The U.K. and China also agreed to work together against migrant smuggling networks. This includes limiting the use of Chinese-made boat engines for illegal crossings to Great Britain and sharing intelligence on criminal supply chains.

Starmer’s trip comes at a time of serious disagreements between the U.S. and its European allies over trade, geopolitics and Greenland. According to High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas, uncertainty in U.S. foreign policy is so significant that changes in these relationships are structural rather than situational.