Trade, security and trust: What to expect from Keir Starmer’s China visit and why Beijing is courting Britain again

UK PM Keir Starmer - File Photo

UK PM Keir Starmer visits China, aiming to reset strained ties amid ongoing disagreements. Meeting President Xi, he balances trade revival with security concerns. The trip signals cautious re-engagement, not a return to past optimism, with modest outcomes expected.

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UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit to China marks a careful reset in a relationship that has swung sharply between optimism and distrust over the past decade. It is the first visit by a British prime minister in eight years and comes at a time when both London and Beijing appear eager to stabilise ties without pretending that deep disagreements no longer exist.

Starmer is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and is accompanied by a large delegation of around 60 business and cultural leaders. Among them are representatives from HSBC, GSK, Jaguar Land Rover and the National Theatre. Beijing has framed the visit as a chance to “open a new chapter of health and stable development in UK-China relations,” signalling a desire to move past years of diplomatic frost.

For Starmer, the trip is about balancing economic pragmatism with long-standing security concerns. His government wants to revive trade and dialogue while remaining cautious about national security, human rights and geopolitical risks. The visit also takes place amid growing global uncertainty, particularly around the United States under President Donald Trump, which has prompted several Western countries to rethink rigid strategic positions.

How UK-China relations reached this point

Relations between London and Beijing were once described as a “golden era.” That period peaked in 2015 when then prime minister David Cameron hosted Xi Jinping in the UK, hoping Britain would become China’s key economic gateway to Europe.

That optimism faded quickly. Ties worsened after China imposed a national security law in Hong Kong in 2020 and cracked down on pro-democracy voices. Allegations of cyber spying, human rights abuses and Beijing’s closeness to Russia during the Ukraine war further deepened mistrust.

Economic relations also suffered. UK exports to China fell 52.6 per cent year on year in 2025, according to official British data.

Security concerns came to dominate policy debates. Britain banned Huawei from its 5G networks after a parliamentary inquiry found “clear evidence of collusion” between the company and the “Chinese Communist Party apparatus.” MI5 chief Ken McCallum warned that “Chinese state actors present a UK national security threat… every day,” while a 2023 government review called China an “epoch-defining challenge.”

Why Starmer is going now

Since taking office, Starmer has argued that Britain needs a more consistent and realistic China policy. His government conducted an internal audit of relations, but much of it remains classified. Former foreign secretary David Lammy told Parliament that “much of the audit was conducted at a high classification and most of the detail is not disclosable without damaging our national interests.”

A modest thaw began after Starmer met Xi Jinping in Brazil and suggested cooperation on climate issues. However, his China visit was delayed by controversy over Beijing’s plans to build a large new embassy in London. Critics warned it could pose espionage risks. The project was approved this week after the government said intelligence agencies had safeguards in place.

The visit also reflects Britain’s unease with Washington. Trump’s erratic moves, including threats of tariffs and comments about Greenland, have unsettled traditional allies. Starmer told Bloomberg News he would not be forced to “choose” between the US and China, adding that “sticking your head in the sand and ignoring China… wouldn’t be sensible.”

As Kerry Brown of King’s College London put it, “China might not be an ally, but it is also not an enemy.”

What Beijing wants

China sees Starmer’s visit as part of a broader diplomatic push to re-engage Western economies. French President Emmanuel Macron, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and others have recently visited Beijing.

Chinese officials hope to revive stalled dialogues, strengthen trade links and position the UK as a pragmatic partner. Foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said the visit would help “deepen practical cooperation with the UK.”

Public opinion in Britain also shows tentative change. A YouGov poll found that those viewing China as a “friend and ally” or “friendly rival” rose from 19 per cent to 27 per cent in recent months.

What is likely to come out of it

Trade will be central. Starmer’s delegation includes executives seeking to revive the UK-China CEO Council, which has been dormant since relations soured.

Human rights issues will not disappear. Starmer is expected to raise the case of British citizen Jimmy Lai, convicted under Hong Kong’s security law.

Global issues such as Ukraine and climate change will also feature. Expectations, however, remain modest. Jinghan Zeng of City University of Hong Kong described the visit as “managed re-engagement rather than renewed strategic trust,” adding that while cooperation may resume in some areas, “concrete outcomes will probably be modest.”

Ultimately, the visit signals an attempt to manage a difficult relationship rather than transform it. Britain is not returning to the enthusiasm of the past, but it is no longer willing to freeze engagement either.