BEIJING: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will pay an official visit to China from January 28 to 31 at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced on Tuesday.
Spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a regular news briefing that in August 2024, Chinese President Xi Jinping had a phone call with Starmer at the latter’s request, and in November that year, during his attendance at the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Xi met with Starmer, leading China-Britain relations onto a track of improvement and development.
Maintaining communication and strengthening cooperation between China and Britain, both permanent members of the UN Security Council, serves the common interests of both peoples and contributes to global peace, stability and development, Guo said.
During Starmer’s visit, the first by a British prime minister in eight years, President Xi will meet with him, Premier Li will hold talks with him, and China’s top legislator Zhao Leji will also meet him, Guo said, adding the two sides will have in-depth exchanges on bilateral relations and issues of common interest.
In addition to Beijing, Starmer will also visit Shanghai during this trip.
Guo said that since taking office, the British Labour Party government has clearly expressed its willingness to develop a consistent, enduring, and strategic relationship with China and actively promote dialogue and cooperation between the two countries.
China wishes to use this visit as an opportunity to enhance political mutual trust with Britain, deepen practical cooperation, jointly open a new chapter of healthy and stable development in bilateral relations, and work together for global peace, security and stability, Guo said.
Important economic and trade partners
Responding to a question on the current China-Britain economic and trade relations and their future cooperation prospects, a spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Commerce said on Tuesday that under the strategic guidance of the leaders of both countries, China-Britain economic and trade relations have maintained healthy and stable development.
In 2025, bilateral trade in goods between the two countries reached $103.7 billion, and trade in services is expected to exceed $30 billion, the spokesperson said.
It is reported that Starmer will be accompanied by executives and representatives from more than 50 major British companies and institutions across the industries of finance, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, culture and creativity, the spokesperson said, adding that it fully demonstrates Britain’s strong desire to deepen bilateral economic and trade relations.
During the visit, the Ministry of Commerce plans to sign outcome documents on trade and investment cooperation with Britain, striving to create new growth points for China-Britain economic and trade cooperation.
Against the backdrop of growing waves of trade protectionism, China and Britain uphold free trade and the multilateral trading system, and are committed to complementary and mutually beneficial economic and trade cooperation, the spokesperson said, adding that the two countries continuously expand cooperation in areas such as green energy, healthcare, creative industries and intelligent manufacturing.
The Ministry of Commerce stands ready to work with Britain’s economic and trade authorities to strengthen communication on economic and trade policies, create a fair, transparent and law-based business environment for cooperation between enterprises of both sides, and promote bilateral economic and trade relations to a new level, the spokesperson added.
