UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer's visit to China holds significant symbolic importance. During an interview with British channels in Shanghai, he stated: 'I raised this issue, and the response was that the restrictions no longer apply. President Xi told me that all parliamentarians are now authorized to travel to China.' These Chinese sanctions came in response to measures taken by both the UK and the European Union against Beijing amidst deteriorating relations between London and Beijing during the tenure of conservative governments, due to China's hardening policy in Hong Kong and mutual accusations of espionage. Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenock criticized Starmer's visit, saying: 'We should not be rolling out the red carpet for a country that carries out spying operations in our country on a daily basis, flouts international trade rules, and supports (Russian President Vladimir) Putin in his unjustified war in Ukraine.' Starmer left China with commitments for around 10 cooperative agreements (in health, services, and irregular migration). The UK announced China's intention to exempt British visitors to China for less than 30 days from entry visas, but 'after the necessary procedures are completed,' as clarified by a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson. British companies secured export contracts worth £2.2 billion ($3 billion) to access the Chinese market over the next five years, in addition to commitments for investments of 'hundreds of millions' of pounds, according to a UK government statement. Starmer's primary goal for this visit was to find drivers to support the UK's exhausted economy, battered by the fallout from Brexit and rising global trade disputes. After years of strained relations under his conservative predecessors, amid China's tightened policy in Hong Kong and mutual spying accusations between the two nations, Starmer, who took office in 2024, is seeking to reset relations with Beijing, London's third-largest trading partner. Starmer stated: 'The United States and the United Kingdom are very close allies, so we discussed this visit with his team before we came.' During his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday, Starmer deemed it 'vital' for the UK to improve its relations with China, while the Chinese leader emphasized the need for 'China and the UK to enhance dialogue and cooperation.' In response to Trump's remarks, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jakun confirmed that 'China is ready to enhance cooperation with all countries on the basis of mutual benefit and achieving results that benefit everyone.' After visiting a design institute and meeting with art students alongside British actress Rosamund Pike, Keir Starmer yesterday traveled to Japan to meet with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
