China and Britain pledged to deepen dialogue and cooperation in Beijing on Thursday as the leaders of the two countries met in a sign of warming ties between the two countries.
Chinese President Xi Jinping called for a “new chapter” in ties and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said relations were in a “strong place”.
Later, Starmer announced that several agreements had been struck with Beijing, including visa-free entry for British citizens to China for up to 30 days and an agreement to study the feasibility of entering negotiations towards a bilateral services agreement.
Britain is the world’s second-largest exporter of services and demand from China in this area is growing. A services partnership could make it easier for British firms to do business in China.
During their talks at the Great Hall of the People, Xi and Starmer agreed to develop a “long-term and stable comprehensive strategic partnership”, according to state news agency Xinhua.
In addition, Xi urged the two countries – as permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and major economies – to strengthen collaboration to protect world peace and stability.
“China is willing to work with Britain to uphold a broad historical perspective, transcend differences, respect each other ... opening a new chapter in China-Britain relations and cooperation that benefits both peoples and the world,” he said.
Xi said mutual trust should be the foundation of the relationship, adding that “no matter how China develops and grows stronger, it will not pose a threat to other countries”.
Starmer, who started his four-day trip to China on Wednesday, is the first British prime minister to visit since Theresa May in 2018.
He is on a mission to repair his country’s relations with Beijing, after ties soured under the Conservative Party despite its earlier efforts to establish a “golden era” in relations between the two countries.
He is also visiting at a time when Western economies are trying to navigate an increasingly fraught international environment as well as the unpredictability of the United States under President Donald Trump.
Xinhua’s report did not explicitly mention the US, but it said Xi had warned of the dangers of growing unilateralism, protectionism and power politics – language often used by China to refer to the Trump administration’s actions including its sweeping tariffs and recent attack on Venezuela.
“International law is only truly effective when all countries abide by it and major powers in particular must take the lead. Otherwise, we will regress to a jungle-like world,” he said.
Xi also told Starmer that trade between China and Britain was mutually beneficial, saying the two countries should deepen people-to-people exchanges.
In his opening remarks in Beijing, Starmer told Xi it had been “far too long” since the last visit by a British leader, adding that the two countries should advance relations for the sake of global growth and stability.
“China is a vital player on the global stage and it’s vital to build a more sophisticated relationship where we identify opportunities to collaborate, but also allow a meaningful dialogue on areas where we disagree,” he said.
He added that working together on issues such as climate change and global stability “during challenging times in the world is precisely what we should be doing as we build this relationship”.
Starmer said it was “crucial” for China and Britain to push for a long-term and stable comprehensive strategic partnership, given the volatile and fragile international environment, according to Xinhua.
He also said Britain was willing to improve cooperation in areas such as trade, investment and finance as well as environmental protection.
“Closer people-to-people exchanges are more conducive to enhancing understanding, and Britain is willing to work with China to promote stronger exchanges between the legislative bodies and other sectors of both countries,” he said.
Britain previously sanctioned senior Chinese officials over alleged human rights violations, with China retaliating by sanctioning several British lawmakers.
Speaking to reporters at the Forbidden City later in the day, Starmer described the talks as a “very good [and] constructive meeting with real outcomes”.
“The relationship is in a good place, a strong place, and what I’d say to everybody here is that I always act in our national interest,” he added.
Starmer said the two sides had made “really good progress” on issues ranging from Chinese tariffs on whisky to visa-free travel and cooperation on “irregular migration”.
Asked whether he had raised issues such as the trial of Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai Chee-ying and China’s human rights record during his meeting with Xi, Starmer said they had “a respectful discussion” because part of the rationale for engagement was to “have a mature discussion about issues that we disagree on”.
Starmer also met Premier Li Qiang and Zhao Leji, the head of the national legislature, on Thursday, with state broadcaster CCTV quoting Li as saying that China was willing to work with Britain to improve cooperation mechanisms and hold frequent exchanges “at all levels and fields”.
Meeting a business delegation in the evening, Starmer announced various deals, including a security agreement that his office earlier said would prevent Chinese-made small boat engines and equipment from reaching criminal networks involved in smuggling people across the English Channel.
British pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca also said it would invest US$15 billion in China through 2030 to expand its medicines manufacturing and research and development.
Starmer will travel to Shanghai on Friday.
After arriving in the country on Wednesday, Starmer said it was time for a “mature” relationship between Britain and China.
“It is in our national interest to engage with China. Of course, we will have to manage our differences. That’s what you do with a mature approach,” he said, according to Bloomberg.
He then dined at a restaurant known for its mushroom-laden dishes, which former US treasury secretary Janet Yellen also visited during her trip in 2023.
Starmer’s Labour government has sought to reset ties with China – Britain’s third-largest trading partner – since he assumed office in July 2024, describing its China policy as having to “cooperate where we can, compete where we must and challenge where we need to”.
On Tuesday, British ambassador to China Peter Wilson said Starmer was bringing with him a “top-level” delegation of ministers and business chiefs.
Wilson said Britain hoped to reduce volatility in its ties with China and “create stable structures that allow us to talk in much more depth than we have in the past”.
“We’re two large countries and we’re two big economies. We’ve both got an important role at the United Nations and in the world, and so for two countries like us not to be talking more is a problem,” he said at a briefing.
Starmer last met Xi in November 2024, on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Brazil, where the Chinese leader said the two countries shared extensive common interests and should adopt a “rational and objective perspective on each other’s development”. -- SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
