When Sir Keir Starmer met President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Jan 29, Starmer became the first British prime minister to visit China since Theresa May in 2018. He faced severe criticism from the usual bigots at home for making the long-overdue three-day visit. Whereas, for example, the Conservative Party leader, Kemi Badenoch, claimed it was the wrong time for him to visit Beijing, given that China was “trying to undermine our economy”, her colleague, the ideologue Sir Iain Duncan Smith, called for the trip’s cancellation because of the detention in Hong Kong of the Apple Daily founder, Jimmy Lai Chee-ying. However, Starmer stood his ground, pointing out that “sticking your head in the sand” was not the way to go. He insisted that “China matters for the UK”, that Britain should not ignore “the world’s second-biggest economy”, and that a “reset” in relations would benefit his country.
In opening remarks before their talks, Xi told Starmer that “as long as we take a broad perspective, rise above differences and respect each other, then we will prove ourselves able to stand the test of history”. He quoted the Chinese proverb: “Range far your eye over long distances,” and Starmer undoubtedly appreciated that the meeting needed to be only the first step of what will hopefully be a long journey. After his predecessor Theresa May left office in 2019, her three successors — Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak — deliberately downgraded Anglo-Chinese relations, which is why Xi said the relationship had seen “twists and turns” over the years, benefiting neither country.
By “twists and turns”, Xi was recalling how, when the Conservative Party was in power (2010-24), the UK, like a drunk, swung from courting China when David Cameron was prime minister, to treating it as a threat under Boris Johnson — who banned Huawei from the United Kingdom’s 5G network — and his successors. Starmer has described his predecessors’ conduct as “veering from golden age to ice age”, and Xi would have agreed. Those wasted years cost Britain dearly, and, as a self-described “British pragmatist, applying common sense”, he is trying to make up for lost time.
Shortly before leaving the UK, Starmer, despite US objections, approved the new Chinese embassy in London, expressing his belief in a “grown-up” relationship with China, the UK’s third-biggest trading partner.
Given the erratic trade policies of the US under President Donald Trump, who changes tariffs at the drop of a hat, many countries are realizing the importance of dealing with a reliable, predictable partner not given to tantrums. A succession of national leaders, including Ireland’s Micheal Martin, Finland’s Petteri Orpo, Canada’s Mark Carney and South Korea’s Lee Jae-myung, visited Xi in January, followed by Uruguay’s President Yamandu Orsi and Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Like the UK, they want to strike business deals, and they were accompanied by their corporate leaders.
Micheal Martin, who became the first Irish prime minister to visit China in 14 years, undoubtedly spoke for all Xi’s visitors when he described China as “a very strong economic force in the world”, with a huge manufacturing capacity and a vast consumer market. In an uncertain world, Western leaders are increasingly setting aside their ideological biases and placing their national interests first. If the “leader of the free world” is no longer willing to look after its allies, nobody can blame them for exploring pastures new.
Before embarking for Beijing, Starmer refused to prioritize Britain’s relationship with the US over China, which was sensible. Although he was confident of building bridges with China without upsetting Trump, this smacked of wishful thinking.
Although Starmer has yet to embrace Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s call for the “middle powers” to band together to counter US pressure, this must now be considered. The era of fence-sitting is over, and leaders need to take a stand in their own national interests. He could start by emulating Germany’s Merz, who has made clear “we would not be intimidated again by tariff threats”
Once Trump learned that Starmer was forging agreements to increase trade and investment between the UK and China, he declared it was “very dangerous” to do business with China. However, Starmer brushed off his remarks, insisting his visit had been “very successful”. Although Trump has not yet threatened to impose 100 percent tariffs on the UK if it gets too close to China, as he has with Canada, that could come. Starmer can take nothing for granted in his dealings with Washington, where fickleness reigns supreme. After all, Trump threatened last month to impose 25 percent tariffs on the UK if Starmer opposed his plan to seize Greenland from Denmark, only to backtrack shortly afterward.
Although Starmer has yet to embrace Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s call for the “middle powers” to band together to counter US pressure, this must now be considered. The era of fence-sitting is over, and leaders need to take a stand in their own national interests. He could start by emulating Germany’s Merz, who has made clear “we would not be intimidated again by tariff threats”.
Starmer was accompanied by nearly 60 British businesses and institutions, including Barclays, AstraZeneca, Jaguar Land Rover, the Royal Shakespeare Company and PwC. Having called the visit “a historic occasion”, he called on British businesses to engage more with China, and they undoubtedly want to do so. He said that both countries looked forward to developing a comprehensive, long-term, and consistent strategic partnership. By engaging with China, he intended to “bring home the benefits for businesses and for working people”, and those accompanying him seized their opportunities.
Whereas, for example, AstraZeneca announced plans to invest up to $15 billion in China by 2030, enabling it to expand medicine manufacturing and boost research and development, the Scottish distillers were delighted when China agreed to slash Scotch-whisky tariffs from 10 percent to 5 percent. At another level, Gallant announced the launch of Outwall in China, serving British touring artists, while World Snooker unveiled a 15 million pound ($20.5 million), five-year agreement, including a new major event in two Chinese cities. While Cultech, from the nutritional supplement industry, announced a new partnership with China Resources expected to deliver up to 90 million pounds in exports and create new jobs in Port Talbot (Wales), Brompton Bikes announced 111.5 million pounds in projected export sales to China.
Whereas the Chinese entertainment brand Pop Mart will establish London as its regional hub, the leading Chinese global automotive manufacturer, Chery Commercial Vehicle, will open its European headquarters in Liverpool, both of which will result in new jobs for British workers.
Starmer’s visit concluded with 2.2 billion pounds in export deals, around 2.3 billion in market access agreements, and hundreds of millions of pounds in new investment, which most observers would consider a success. The two sides also signed 12 intergovernmental cooperation accords, covering such areas as economy and trade, agriculture and food security, culture and market regulation. A services agreement is being explored, sanctions on six British parliamentarians are being lifted, and British citizens will be granted 30-day visa-free access to China.
As Starmer has made no secret of his view that a diplomatic thaw will make Britons richer and safer, he must have been delighted by the resumption of the China-UK High-Level Security Dialogue, the convening of a new round of the China-UK Strategic Dialogue and Economic and Financial Dialogue, and the holding of a China-UK Entrepreneurs Committee meeting. Engagement is undoubtedly the key to resolving differences, improving trade and reliable strategic planning.
When he summed up the visit, the British business and trade secretary, Peter Kyle, said, “We will leave China having put our relationship with one of the world’s biggest economies on a stronger footing, unlocking billions for the UK, and setting the course for new commercial partnerships.” He added that the UK “doesn’t need to choose between our trade partners”, which, while true, may not play well with Trump or his outriders, including Badenoch and Duncan Smith.
As Starmer wound up his trip, his detractors at home were sharpening their knives. The Daily Mail, for example, described the deals he secured as “underwhelming”, quoting sources who said he left China “virtually empty-handed, despite his craven kowtowing” (Jan 30). These, however, were the voices of those who opposed his trip from the outset and wanted him to fail. A more reliable assessment came from the chairman of the British Chamber of Commerce in China, Chris Torrens, who praised Starmer’s visit as “successful”, noting that the US was expected to make its own deal with China shortly.
Since taking office, Starmer has struggled to improve economic growth, which he has called his “No 1” priority, and it is not hard to see why. Many Britons face great hardship, with the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, which researches poverty in the UK, reporting (Jan 25) that around 6.8 million people are living in “very deep poverty” — the highest level in three decades. Starmer knows that, if he is to help his people and save his government, he must turn things around, and time is not on his side. Ideological posturing and name-calling have nothing to commend them, and will not alleviate the grim situation in which far too many Britons find themselves. By visiting China, Starmer has demonstrated real leadership, but he must now remain consistent. Having opened the door, he must ensure the UK takes full advantage of all that China has to offer and avoids backsliding. The short- and long-term interests of the British people require no less.
The author is a senior counsel and law professor, and was previously the director of public prosecutions of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.
