British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday that he wanted to build a “sophisticated relationship” with Beijing to strengthen security and boost economic cooperation, signalling a reset after years of strained relations.
On the key day of his four-day visit to China—the first by a British prime minister in eight years—Starmer spent about three hours with Xi in formal talks and over lunch, where the two leaders also exchanged lighter conversation about football and Shakespeare.
Starmer, whose centre-left Labour government has struggled to deliver the economic growth it promised, has made improving ties with the world’s second-largest economy a priority, despite ongoing concerns over espionage and human rights.
“China is a vital player on the global stage, and it’s vital that we build a more sophisticated relationship—one where we can identify opportunities to work together while also having a meaningful dialogue on areas where we disagree,” Starmer said at the start of the meeting.
Xi said relations between the two countries had experienced “twists and turns” that did not serve either side’s interests, adding that China was ready to pursue a long-term partnership.
“We can achieve outcomes that stand the test of history,” Xi said during the summit at the Great Hall of the People, flanked by senior Chinese officials.
Starmer’s visit comes amid a wave of renewed diplomatic engagement between Western leaders and Beijing, as countries hedge against unpredictability from the United States under President Donald Trump.
Trump’s intermittent tariff threats and recent remarks about asserting control over Greenland have unsettled long-standing allies, including Britain. Starmer’s trip follows a visit by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who signed an economic agreement with China to ease trade barriers—drawing criticism from Washington.
Starmer said talks had made progress on reducing Chinese tariffs on British whisky, while Xi indicated China would consider visa-free entry for British citizens.
“The relationship is in a good place—a strong place,” Starmer told reporters. He is accompanied on the visit by more than 50 British business leaders. Asked whether Xi was someone he could do business with, Starmer replied simply: “Yes.”
He described the meeting as warm and constructive, noting that the two leaders discussed English Premier League clubs—hugely popular in China—while dining on roasted cod and sweet rice dumplings. Starmer presented Xi with a football from a recent match between Manchester United, Xi’s favoured team, and Arsenal, which Starmer supports.
Starmer has shifted Britain’s approach to China after years of deteriorating ties under previous Conservative governments, which restricted some Chinese investment on national security grounds and criticised Beijing’s actions in Hong Kong.
“I promised when we were elected 18 months ago that Britain would face outwards again,” Starmer told Xi. “Events abroad affect everything at home—from supermarket prices to how secure we feel.”
Opposition Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said she would not have travelled to China, citing security risks. British intelligence agencies have accused China of spying on the UK government, claims Beijing denies.
As part of the visit, Starmer announced joint efforts to combat criminal gangs involved in smuggling migrants, including measures to curb the use of Chinese-made engines on small boats used to cross the English Channel. British and Chinese authorities will share intelligence on smuggling routes and work with manufacturers to prevent organised crime from exploiting legitimate supply chains, Downing Street said.
Starmer said he also held a “respectful discussion” with Xi about the case of Jimmy Lai, the Hong Kong media tycoon and British citizen convicted last December on national security charges.
The British prime minister arrived in Beijing late on Wednesday and dined at a restaurant known for its mushroom dishes, which previously hosted U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen during her 2023 visit. A video posted on Weibo showed Starmer practising the Mandarin phrase for thank you—“xie xie”—with restaurant staff as he posed for photographs.