Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer met Chinese leader Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, hailing “really good progress” in bilateral relations. This is the first UK prime ministerial visit to China since 2018. Both leaders stressed the need for closer cooperation to address global challenges and geopolitical headwinds.
During the visit, Starmer signed agreements with China, including visa-free travel for British passport holders visiting for under 30 days and reduced tariffs on whisky exports from 10% to 5%. Cooperation deals also cover supply chain security, British exports to China, healthcare, and trade commission strengthening.
Xi emphasized long-term strategic cooperation in a complex international environment, while Starmer called China a “vital global player” and urged a “more sophisticated relationship” identifying collaboration opportunities. Starmer will also visit Shanghai and later stop in Japan to meet Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
Related stories:
President Xi urges stable and enduring China-Britain relations in call with British PM
