British PM's visit expected to deepen practical cooperation

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will make an official visit to China starting on Wednesday, marking the first such tour by a United Kingdom head of government in eight years.

The four-day visit, which will take Starmer to Beijing and Shanghai, is seen by officials and scholars as an opportunity to open a new chapter of sound and steady development in China-UK relations.

The two countries stepped up diplomatic engagement after Starmer took office in July 2024. In August the same year, President Xi Jinping held a phone conversation with Starmer at the latter's request, and a few months later in November, they met on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, steering China-UK relations on the path of improvement and development.

On Tuesday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said in Beijing that China and the UK, both permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, share common interests in maintaining communication and strengthening cooperation, which benefits both peoples and contributes to world peace, stability and development.

After taking office, the government of the British Labour Party expressed clear willingness to develop relations with China in a consistent, long-term and strategic way, and it has actively promoted dialogue and cooperation between the two countries, Guo said.

China stands ready to take this visit as an opportunity to enhance political mutual trust with the UK and deepen practical cooperation, he added.

According to media reports, Starmer will be accompanied by more than 50 senior executives and institutional representatives from major British companies, covering sectors including finance, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, culture, and the creative industries.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce said on Tuesday that the large delegation reflects the UK's strong desire to deepen bilateral economic and trade ties.

"China attaches great importance to economic and trade cooperation with the UK, and is actively working with Britain to prepare for the economic and trade cooperation outcomes from the visit, as well as a meeting of Chinese and British entrepreneurs," a statement from the ministry quoted the spokesperson as saying.

Chinese and British companies have shown keen interest in the meeting, and more than 100 of them have registered for participation, the spokesperson added.

Official data shows that the bilateral trade value of goods between China and the UK reached $103.7 billion in 2025, and the two-way investment stock stood at nearly $68 billion. The trade value of services is expected to exceed $30 billion. The UK is China's third-largest trading partner in Europe, while China is the UK's largest trading partner in Asia.

Starmer has previously said that failing to navigate relations with China would amount to a "dereliction of duty", describing the absence of engagement as "just staggering".

In an interview with Bloomberg ahead of his visit, the British prime minister reiterated his point, saying that ignoring China — "when it is the second-largest economy in the world and there are business opportunities" — would not be sensible.

On Tuesday, Peter Wilson, the UK's ambassador to China, said the visit aims to increase contacts and establish stabilizing mechanisms, including structured dialogues and concrete, commercially meaningful outcomes, to support bilateral ties.

"Two countries like ours not talking to each other is a problem," Wilson said at a briefing in Beijing. He emphasized that keeping channels open allows both sides to have honest conversations about differences. "We don't see everything in the same way — and that is precisely why we need to talk."

Against what he described as the world facing a period of "radical uncertainty", Wilson said the UK and China need to find areas where they can "make common cause", help stabilize the international system and contribute to conflict resolution.

Zheng Zeguang, China's ambassador to the UK, wrote in The Times on Monday that closer collaboration with China will benefit Britain in attaining its development goals. He called for expanded dialogue, coordination and cooperation in many areas, including trade and investment, financial services, clean energy, fighting cross-border crime, education and culture, scientific and technological innovation, climate change and public health.

British Trade Commissioner for China Lewis Neal said on Tuesday in Beijing that sustained, government-level engagement is critical to underpinning long-term and strategic business relationships.

"The UK is open to investment from Chinese companies," he said.