China, U.K. vow to build long-term strategic partnership in bid to reset strained ties
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer addresses a business delegation at a hotel in Beijing following his arrival in China on January 28, 2026.
Carl Court | Afp | Getty Images
China is willing to develop a long-term strategic partnership with Britain, Chinese President Xi Jinping told British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday as the two countries seek to revive bilateral ties after years of tension.
According to the statement made by Chinese state media, Xi said that he was “confident that Starmer’s visit will be successful and will open new horizons for bilateral relations and cooperation.”
According to Reuters, Starmer said in his bilateral meeting with Xi that the UK wants to establish “more sophisticated” relations with China.
Starmer is on a 4-day visit to China, the first visit by a British prime minister in eight years; This signals an attempt to rebuild relations between the two countries after years of distrust and acrimony.
Britain has in the past accused China of spying in the country, describing it as a long-term strategic challenge. Beijing’s crackdown on democratic protests in Hong Kong, a former British colony, and the imposition of a comprehensive national security legislature in 2020 have further strained bilateral relations.
Starmer’s trip comes at a time when US President Donald Trump’s foreign policy and tariff threats are unsettling traditional allies; Beijing hosted many Western leaders this month, including Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Irish Prime Minister Michael Martin. First visit by an Irish leader in 14 years – and Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo.
On Wednesday, Starmer appealed to dozens of British business leaders traveling with him to seize opportunities in the world’s second-largest economy.
The British government said in a statement that it would take an initiative in this direction. “strategic and consistent relationship” While we seek to strengthen new investment and trade relations with Beijing, we aim to remain vigilant against potential security threats.
Last week, the UK government approved plans to open a new Chinese Embassy in London after the proposal was delayed for years due to political and security concerns.
Starmer’s diplomatic shift appears to mirror that of Canada, which signed a trade deal with China earlier this month following Carney’s visit; As Ottawa appears to be diversifying its trade and investment partners amid ongoing frictions with Washington.
UK businesses in China have been facing a deteriorating business environment for the past six consecutive years, according to the British Chamber of Commerce in China.
Nearly 60 percent of more than 300 British firms surveyed said it was harder to do business in the country than a year ago, the organization said in a report in December. “The overall business environment remains complex and often unpredictable,” he said, citing the economic slowdown, regulatory pressures and geopolitical risks.
However, the report stated that there are no strong signs of a broad shift towards withdrawing from the Chinese market, and many companies continue to see China as a key market, although they seem more cautious about their expansion plans.
The UK’s trade deficit with China rose by more than 18% annually to 42 billion pounds ($58.1 billion) in the 12 months ending June 2025, according to UK government data.
— CNBC’s Evelyn Cheng contributed to this report.
