The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, proposed in Beijing to initiate a phase of rapprochement with China after 20 years of tensions. During his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, both leaders committed to revitalising the relationship between their countries and establishing a strategic alliance. Starmer stated that forging closer ties with Beijing could help reduce the cost of living in the United Kingdom. Xi deemed it essential to enhance communication between the two nations and expressed his confidence that both would be favourably assessed by history if they manage to overcome their differences. The British Prime Minister is the first UK government leader to travel to China since 2018. He travelled with members of his cabinet and a business delegation that includes representatives from companies such as HSBC, GSK, Jaguar, and Land Rover. According to official figures, China ranks as the third-largest trading partner of the United Kingdom, with a bilateral surplus of £42 billion.
United Kingdom bets on thawing relations with Beijing after nearly two decades of friction.
