TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will make an official visit to China from January 28 to 31, 2026. This will be the first visit by a British prime minister to China since 2018.
"PM Starmer's visit marks the first visit by a British prime minister to China in eight years. During the visit, President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang, and National People's Congress Chairman Zhao Leji will hold separate meetings with PM Starmer," Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a press conference in Beijing on Tuesday, as quoted by Antara.
Guo Jiakun mentioned that President Xi Jinping had a phone call with PM Starmer in August 2024. The two also met during the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in November of that year, setting the initial direction for improving China-UK relations.
"In addition to Beijing, PM Starmer will also visit Shanghai. The visit will be an opportunity for an in-depth exchange of views on bilateral relations and issues of mutual interest," Guo Jiakun said.
At a time when the international landscape is undergoing turmoil and transformation, Guo Jiakun stated that it is in the common interest of both countries to contribute to the promotion of global peace, stability, and development, especially as both countries are permanent members of the UN Security Council.
"After taking office, the British Labour government has expressed a clear desire to develop relations with China in a consistent, long-term, and strategic manner, and actively promote dialogue and cooperation between the two countries," Guo Jiakun said.
Guo Jiakun emphasized that China is ready to use the visit as an opportunity to enhance political mutual trust with the UK.
"In addition, it is to deepen practical cooperation, open a new chapter in the development of healthy and stable China-UK relations, and jointly make appropriate efforts and contributions to world peace, security, and stability," he said.
Under the Labour government, which has been in power since 2024, high-ranking officials from both sides have visited each other over the past year.
In January 2025, British Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng agreed to restart the UK-China Economic and Financial Dialogue, with deals worth up to £600 million, including in the areas of vaccines, fertilizers, whisky, legal services, cars, and accounting.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi also met with Prime Minister Starmer on February 12, 2025.
With annual bilateral trade volume reaching US$98.36 billion in 2024, the two countries have established high-level exchange mechanisms, including the Annual Prime Ministers' Meeting, the Economic and Financial Dialogue, the Strategic Dialogue, and the People-to-People Dialogue.
However, relations between the two countries have deteriorated since the UK imposed a national security law on Hong Kong, which is considered a stifling of civil liberties in Hong Kong.
Other sticking points include China's support for Russia in the Ukraine war, as well as growing concerns about Beijing's espionage and economic interference in Chinese companies like Huawei Technologies.
Starmer's visit also comes amid growing domestic challenges, with the Labour Party under pressure ahead of a snap election on February 26, 2026. Starmer's government has faced sharp criticism over high immigration, economic stagnation, and a persistent cost-of-living crisis.
Furthermore, relations between the UK and its close ally the United States are also strained, particularly over US President Donald Trump's desire to take over Greenland and Trump's disparaging comments about British and NATO forces in Afghanistan, which Starmer called "insults."
Starmer's visit to Beijing comes days after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and French President Emmanuel Macron also visited Beijing.
Furthermore, the UK government has approved the construction of a new 20,000-square-meter Chinese embassy in Royal Mint Court, near the Tower of London. The building's permits had previously been delayed due to concerns that it could be a location for sensitive data interception due to its proximity to the financial center of the City of London.
China purchased the land for £255 million in 2018, but the local council has repeatedly refused building permits due to security risks, after the embassy's design revealed 200 underground rooms within the complex and fiber optic internet cables running beneath the project site.
Boosting economic and trade ties with China, London's third-largest trading partner, is expected to be high on Starmer's agenda. He is bringing around 60 business leaders, universities, and cultural institutions with him during his visit to Beijing and Shanghai.
It is unclear whether Prime Minister Starmer will address controversial issues, including the case of former Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai Cheey-ying, who was convicted of conspiracy and sedition in Hong Kong, the autonomous region of Xinjiang, the Ukraine war and the role of Chinese companies such as Huawei Technologies.
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