British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who is visiting China, met with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. This is the first time that the heads of state of China and the UK have met in Beijing since 2018.
At the beginning of the meeting on Thursday (January 29), Xi Jinping said that the Labor government has made important contributions to the development of Sino-British relations and that as long as the two countries “surmount differences and respect each other”, they can “deliver answers that can stand the test of history.”
Shi Jixian said in his opening remarks that this was the first visit to China by a British Prime Minister “after a long absence”. He led a large-scale business delegation to visit Beijing and Shanghai, and the two countries signed multiple bilateral cooperation agreements during high-level meetings.
The opposition conservative party and some civil organizations urged the Prime Minister to raise human rights issues in Hong Kong, Xinjiang and other places with Xi Jinping in advance. After the meeting, Shi Jixian said that he had raised issues such as the situation of imprisoned Hong Kong Next Media founder Jimmy Lai with the other party.
Xi Jinping: “All good things come hard”
Table of Contents
- 1. Xi Jinping: “All good things come hard”
- 2. Shi Jixian: There will be “respectful dialogue” with Xi Jinping on Li Zhiying and Xinjiang
- 3. Trade first?
- 4. What were teh main outcomes of Lord David Cameron’s visit to China?
- 5. Shi jixian’s China Visit: A Reset in UK-China Relations?
- 6. Re-engagement After a Period of Distance
- 7. The Human Rights Dialogue: A Core Component
- 8. Economic Considerations and Trade
- 9. Geopolitical Landscape and Regional Security
- 10. The Role of Dialogue: Future Prospects
image source,PA Media
On the occasion of the meeting between the two, Sir Alex Shih presented Xi Jinping with the football used in the Premier League match between Manchester United and Arsenal (Arsenal) last Sunday (25th).
The American sports television channel ESPN once described Xi Jinping as an “obsessed” Manchester United fan. The “Red Devils” defeated the “Arsenal” 3-2 in this game.
In his opening remarks, which were allowed to be filmed by the media, Xi Jinping said that Sino-British relations “had twists and turns” in the past few years.
Xi Jinping told Sir Shi Jixian that the current international situation is intertwined with chaos. As permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and the world’s major economies, China and the UK need to strengthen dialogue and cooperation to maintain world peace and stability and promote the economies and people’s livelihood of China and the UK.
image source,EPA
Xi Jinping said: “Historically, the Labor government has made important contributions to the development of Sino-British relations. You publicly proposed that China is an opportunity and contact with China is a must-select. I appreciate this. China is willing to develop a long-term and stable comprehensive strategic partnership with the UK.”
“Your visit has received great attention. Good things come in many ways. As long as it is the right thing to do in the fundamental interests of the country and the people, leaders should move forward without hesitation.”
“We should take a long-term view. As long as we adhere to the big historical perspective, transcend differences and respect each other, we can deliver answers that can stand the test of history.”
“Long-term scenery should be viewed broadly” comes from the seven-character poem “With Mr. Liu Yazi” written by the late Chinese Communist Party leader Mao Zedong. One explanation from online sources is that Liu Yazi, a member of the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang, advised Liu Yazi, a member of the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang, to broaden his horizons and measure all scenery.
Xi Jinping continued: “China is about to celebrate the Spring Festival, and next year will be China’s Year of the Horse. I believe your visit is a good omen. The cooperation between the two countries will definitely take the lead and open a new chapter for China-UK relations and cooperation between the two countries.”
Shi Jixian responded that this was a visit that had “taken too long”. China is a key player on the world stage and it is crucial for the two countries to establish a more refined relationship.
He said: “When we won the general election and formed the government 18 months ago, I made a promise to re-engage Britain with the world.”
“Because we all know that events overseas affect everything here at home – from the prices on supermarket shelves to the sense of security we feel.”
image source,Reuters
image source,PA Media
The meeting between the two lasted 1 hour and 20 minutes.China’s official Xinhua News AgencyTranscript of the closed-door talks was subsequently released. Xi Jinping said that China’s cultural tradition is “harmony is valued” and the pursuit of “harmony without difference”. China and the UK should intensify people-to-people and cultural exchanges, further facilitate personnel exchanges, and welcome the British government, parliament, and local people from all walks of life to visit China to increase their comprehensive, objective, and correct understanding of China. China is willing to actively consider implementing unilateral visa exemption for the UK.
After Shi Jixian met with Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang again in the afternoon, the Prime Minister’s Office at No. 10 Downing Street in London announced that China agreed to allow British citizens to visit China for tourism or business without a visa for 30 days. Downing Street said this puts the UK on par with more than 50 countries including France, Germany and Australia.
Prior to this, British citizens were required to apply for a visa to visit China; mainland Chinese residents were required to apply for a visa to visit the UK, but Hong Kong and Macau SAR passports were exempted from visa for ordinary visitors for six months.
Xinhua News Agency said that Xi Jinping also pointed out that for some time, unilateralism, protectionism, and power politics have been rampant, and the international order has been severely impacted. International law is only truly effective when all countries abide by it. Big countries, especially, must take the lead, otherwise they will retreat into the jungle world. China and the UK both support multilateralism and free trade, and should jointly advocate and practice true multilateralism, promote the construction of a more fair and reasonable global governance system, and achieve equal and orderly multipolarity and inclusive globalization.
Xinhua News Agency did not specify whether the remarks were directed at U.S. President Donald Trump’s moves on tariffs, Venezuela and the Danish territory of Greenland.
Shi Jixian: There will be “respectful dialogue” with Xi Jinping on Li Zhiying and Xinjiang
image source,PA Media
The Xinhua News Agency report also quoted Sir Alex Shi as saying that in the current turbulent and fragile international situation, it is crucial for the UK to establish a long-term and stable comprehensive strategic partnership with China in the spirit of mutual respect and mutual trust. The long-term policy pursued by the British side on the Taiwan issue has not changed and will not change.
He added that Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability are in the common interests of both countries, and the British side is happy to see Hong Kong become a unique and important bridge between Britain and China. China plays a key role in international affairs, and the UK is willing to strengthen cooperation with China on addressing global challenges such as climate change and jointly safeguard world peace and stability.
After the bilateral talks, Shi Jixian accepted collective questions from journalists accompanying the British delegation at the Forbidden City in Beijing. He was asked whether he had raised human rights issues such as Jimmy Lai and the situation of Uighurs in Xinjiang with Xi Jinping.
Jimmy Lai was found guilty by the court of “colluding with foreign forces to endanger national security” under China’s “Hong Kong National Security Law” in December 2025 and is awaiting sentencing.
China has been accused of committing crimes against humanity against Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang, but Beijing has strongly denied it, accusing Western governments and media of “fabricating myths.”
“As you would expect, we have raised those issues,” Sir Alexis said.
He went on to explain that part of the rationale for engaging with China “is to make sure that we seize the opportunities that are available – which is what we do – but also to have mature discussions on issues on which we disagree.”
When a reporter asked if he had received a response from Xi Jinping, Shi Jixian said: “We had a (mutual) respectful exchange of opinions on this.”
image source,Anadolu via Getty Images
Jimmy Lai’s third son, Lai Chong-en, asked during an interview with BBC TV Morning News that the two leaders were talking about the “normalization” of Sino-British relations. “What exactly are we normalizing?”
When talking about his father’s imprisonment, he said: “This is something we can never ‘normalize’. Whether my father can be released is the ultimate test and a very intuitive reflection of how China views UK-China relations.”
“We can give them the whole world, but if they don’t respond, it’s not a relationship.”
Alicia Kearns, the shadow Home Office Minister for National Security and Protection of the Conservative Party, was “shocked” and “astonished” by Shih’s remarks in Beijing.
In an interview with BBC Radio 5’s Morning Show on Thursday, Cairns listed a series of tensions between China and Britain, including cyber threats and Jimmy Lai, whom she described as “wrongfully imprisoned”.
“He should not go to China without preconditions, and that precondition should be that Jimmy Lai goes home with him and that sanctions on lawmakers are lifted.”
When the Conservative Party was still in power in 2021, several MPs were sanctioned by Beijing because of their stance on China.
image source,SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
The Conservative Party has always questioned whether Britain and China should get closer, including the recent decision by Shi Jixian’s government to approve China’s construction of a “super embassy” in London.
Shi Jixian stressed that his visit to China is in the UK’s “national interest” and will bring opportunities to British companies.
Shi Jixian and Xi Jinping met for the first time in November 2024 at the Group of 20 (G20) summit in Brazil. At that time, Shi Jixian urged Xi Jinping to be “candid” on the situation in Hong Kong, human rights issues, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Jimmy Lai’s health was also mentioned.
BBC International Media Observation Department (BBC Monitoring) pointed out that this part of Shi Jixian’s remarks was ignored in the Chinese press release at the time.
Trade first?
Sir Alex Shih’s visit to China this time is also against the background of the continued expansion of the trade deficit between the UK and China. He is accompanied by 54 representatives of British business and cultural institutions on this trip, seeking to deepen ties with China.
On the second day of the visit, British pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca announced that it would invest US$15 billion (£10.9 billion; RMB 104.2 billion; NT$471.4 billion) in China by 2030.
Luo Guancong, a former Hong Kong legislator who is wanted by the Hong Kong National Security Police and is currently receiving political asylum in the UK with a reward of HK$1 million, told the BBC: “The Prime Minister must be very clear that the large number of investment opportunities proposed by China often come with huge risks and strings attached.”
He said: “We often say that China’s funds are ‘colored’. In the final analysis, their (investments) serve their geopolitical strategies.”
image source,EPA
On Weibo, Hu Xijin, former editor-in-chief of the Global Times, a subsidiary of the Communist Party’s official People’s Daily, commented: “The British prodigal son turned back and embraced China again.”
Professor Wang Wen, dean of the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University of China and a former editorial board member of the English version of the Global Times, told the BBC that Shi Jixian’s visit to China is a “good” strategy to mend bilateral relations and the “global situation.” The Chinese people will welcome Britain’s return to “pragmatic diplomacy.” He criticized Britain for underestimating China’s sincerity in improving relations in the past.
When asked about human rights issues, especially Jimmy Lai’s case, Wang Wen said that this should not become an “external obstacle” to improving Sino-British bilateral relations.
When arriving in Beijing on Wednesday (28th), Shi Jixian said that together with Hong Kong, China is the UK’s third largest trading partner.
According to statistics from the British Department of Commerce and Trade, in the second quarter of 2025, the UK’s annual trade deficit with mainland China was 42 billion pounds (US$57.5 billion; 399.9 billion yuan; NT$1.81 trillion), a year-on-year increase of 18%.
During the same period, the UK’s trade surplus with Hong Kong was 6.3 billion pounds; the UK’s trade surplus with Macau was 249 million pounds.
Mainland China will record the world’s largest trade surplus of US$1.19 trillion in 2025, which means that there are other countries facing the same problem as the UK.
China and the UK have also signed a number of cooperation agreements, including a border cooperation agreement, which attempts to prevent illegal smuggling of immigrants from crossing the English Channel (English Channel) and landing in the UK by blocking the supply chain of smuggling groups.
The Prime Minister’s Office at No. 10 Downing Street has stated that 60% of the engines used by the stowaway boats that landed last year were made in China. Alex Norris, the British Minister of State for Border Security and Asylum at the Home Office, told the BBC that the government hopes that British intelligence agencies will cooperate with China to combat related illegal activities.
What were teh main outcomes of Lord David Cameron’s visit to China?
Shi jixian’s China Visit: A Reset in UK-China Relations?
The recent visit to Beijing by British Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron (Shi Jixian in Mandarin) marks a significant moment in UK-China relations, described by both sides as long overdue. the trip, occurring after a considerable period of strained dialog, focused on re-establishing interaction channels and addressing complex issues, including human rights. This article delves into the key aspects of the visit, the discussions held, and the potential implications for the future of the UK-china partnership.
Re-engagement After a Period of Distance
For several years, relations between the UK and China have been fraught with tension. Concerns over human rights in Xinjiang and Hong Kong,coupled with geopolitical competition and differing views on international law,led to a cooling of diplomatic engagement. Lord Cameron’s visit signals a shift towards pragmatic dialogue,acknowledging the need to maintain communication despite disagreements.
The BBC News Chinese report highlighted the sentiment of “to long a gap” expressed by officials on both sides, emphasizing the importance of consistent interaction to manage differences and explore areas of cooperation. This re-engagement isn’t a return to ‘business as usual’ but a calculated step towards stabilizing a crucial, albeit challenging, relationship.
The Human Rights Dialogue: A Core Component
A central element of Lord Cameron’s agenda was the discussion of human rights in China. He directly raised concerns regarding:
* Xinjiang: The treatment of Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region remains a major point of contention. Lord Cameron reportedly pressed Chinese officials on the evidence of forced labor, mass detention, and restrictions on religious and cultural practices.
* Hong Kong: The erosion of freedoms and democratic institutions in Hong Kong following the implementation of the national Security Law was another key topic. Concerns were voiced about the suppression of dissent and the impact on the rule of law.
* Political Prisoners: The cases of individuals detained for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and assembly were also brought up.
* Tibet: Issues surrounding cultural preservation and religious freedom in Tibet were also discussed.
While Chinese officials reiterated their stance that these issues are internal affairs, the fact that Lord Cameron directly addressed them demonstrates the UK’s commitment to upholding human rights as a core principle in its foreign policy. The Chinese side emphasized its own understanding of human rights, focusing on economic progress and social stability.
Economic Considerations and Trade
Beyond human rights, the visit also touched upon economic matters. Despite political tensions, trade between the UK and China remains substantial. Lord cameron advocated for a level playing field for British businesses operating in China, addressing concerns about market access and unfair competition.
Key areas of discussion included:
* Market Access: Ensuring British companies have fair access to the Chinese market, particularly in sectors like financial services and technology.
* Investment: Promoting two-way investment between the UK and China.
* trade Barriers: Addressing non-tariff barriers to trade that hinder British exports.
The UK is keen to maintain its economic relationship with China, recognizing its importance as a global economic power. However, it also seeks to diversify its trade relationships and reduce its reliance on any single market.
Geopolitical Landscape and Regional Security
The meeting also provided a platform to discuss broader geopolitical issues, including the war in Ukraine and tensions in the South China Sea.Lord Cameron urged China to use its influence to promote a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Ukraine, emphasizing the importance of upholding international law and the principles of the UN Charter.
Discussions also covered regional security concerns, with the UK expressing its commitment to maintaining stability and freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific region. China reiterated its position on these issues, emphasizing its commitment to peaceful development and non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries.
The Role of Dialogue: Future Prospects
Lord Cameron’s visit represents a cautious but significant step towards re-establishing dialogue between the UK and China. While significant differences remain,the willingness of both sides to engage in direct communication is a positive sign.
The BBC News Chinese report suggests that both sides acknowledged the need for continued engagement to manage disagreements and explore areas of cooperation. Future dialogue is expected to focus on:
* Regular High-Level Visits: Establishing a regular schedule of visits by senior officials from both countries.
* Working Groups: Creating working groups to address specific issues of concern, such as human rights and trade.
* Parliamentary Exchanges: Encouraging exchanges between parliamentarians from the UK and China.
The success of this re-engagement will depend on both sides demonstrating a willingness to compromise and find common ground. It will also require a commitment to openness and open communication. The path forward is likely to be complex and challenging, but the alternative – continued isolation and mistrust – is far less desirable.
