UK’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer says the trip to China has strengthened the bilateral relationship, although a likely return visit seems to anger British critics.
Keir Starmer has taken a giant step toward rapprochement with China. This paves the way for a reciprocal visit to the UK by Chinese President Xi Jinping. However, it’s a move that sparked off immediate anger from British critics of Beijing.
It was the first visit by a UK PM to China in eight years. It is a period that Starmer describes as being an ice age.’ Starmer added that talks with the Chinese president had moved the bilateral relationship to stronger ties. Topics discussed during the visit included visa waivers, cuts in whiskey tariffs, and economic cooperation agreements.
Whilst travelling to Beijing, Starmer is quoted to have said that the UK government would remain ‘clear-eyed and realistic.’ This was about national security threats from China. This statement was prompted by Beijing’s espionage activities in the UK. Additionally, Beijing imposed sanctions on British MPs.
When Starmer was asked if he would like Xi to visit the UK, the PM’s official spokesperson replied that the PM has been clear on resetting the relationship with China. The spokesperson further stated that China is no longer in an ice age. It was beneficial to both the British people and British business.
The spokesperson clarified that the Beijing trip was not a one-time summit. This meant more meetings were coming, and the UK would set them as usual.
Starmer’s 3-day Chinese visit represents a marked shift in the UK’s relations with Beijing. This is almost a decade of hostility from the Tory administrations. Also, more recently, concerns have arisen over the reliability of the U.S. as a trading partner.
