Sir Keir Starmer has said the UK cannot afford to turn its back on China, arguing that engaging with Beijing presents real economic opportunities as he prepares for his first visit to the country as prime minister.
Speaking to Bloomberg News in an interview at Downing Street, Starmer said the trip could unlock “significant opportunities” for British businesses. He will become the first UK prime minister to visit China in eight years.
Starmer rejected the idea that Britain must choose between strengthening ties with China and maintaining its close relationship with the United States, despite growing trade and political tensions between the two powers.
“We’ve got very close relations with the US — of course we want to — and we will maintain that, including on business, security and defence,” he said. “But sticking your head in the sand and ignoring China wouldn’t be sensible.”
Dozens of UK business leaders are expected to join the prime minister on the visit, which will include stops in Beijing and Shanghai. The last such trip by a British leader was in 2018, when Theresa May visited China.
The visit comes at a delicate moment for international diplomacy. In recent weeks, US President Donald Trump has threatened tariffs against allies, floated taking control of Greenland, and sparked controversy in the UK by claiming Nato troops held back in Afghanistan. He has also warned Canada against pursuing trade ties with China, threatening steep tariffs in response.
Starmer’s trip also follows the UK government’s approval of plans for a large new Chinese embassy in London — a move that has drawn criticism from opposition politicians and local residents. Meanwhile, Britain is still waiting for approval from Chinese authorities for its own £100 million redevelopment of the UK embassy in Beijing.
Asked about the diplomatic balancing act, Starmer said he refuses to frame foreign policy as a choice between nations.
“I’m often invited to simply choose between countries. I don’t do that,” he said. He added that the business leaders travelling with him understand the opportunities in China and that engagement would not come at the expense of national security.
Former foreign secretary Sir Jeremy Hunt said Starmer was right to visit China but warned the prime minister would need to tread carefully.
“There is a real diplomatic tightrope that Keir Starmer has to walk here,” Hunt told BBC Radio 4. “China will have a strategic interest in trying to prize apart the UK-US relationship. There are benefits to trade, but also significant risks.”
Starmer said he would also raise areas of disagreement during the visit, including human rights concerns. These include the case of Jimmy Lai, the Hong Kong pro-democracy media tycoon who was convicted last year under the city’s national security laws.
Western governments, including the UK and the US, have repeatedly called for Lai’s release — calls that have been rejected by Beijing and Hong Kong authorities.
