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Britain\u2019s Prime Minister Keir Starmer addresses a business delegation following his arrival to China, at a hotel in Beijing on January 28, 2026. <\/p>\n
Carl Court | Afp | Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
China is willing to develop a long-term strategic partnership with the U.K., Chinese President Xi Jinping told British Prime Minister Keir Starmer Thursday, as the two nations look to revive their bilateral relationship after years of strain. <\/p>\n
Xi said he was \u201cconfident that Starmer\u2019s visit will be a success, leading to new prospects for the bilateral relations and cooperation,\u201d according to a statement released by Chinese state media. <\/p>\n
U.K. is looking to build \u201cmore sophisticated\u201d ties with China, Starmer said in a bilateral meeting with Xi, according to Reuters. <\/p>\n
Starmer is on a 4-day visit to China, the first trip by a British prime minister in eight years \u2014 signaling an attempt at resetting relations between the two countries after years of distrust and acrimony. <\/p>\n
The U.K. in the past has accused China of conducting espionage in the country, and labeled it as a long-term strategic challenge. Beijing\u2019s crackdowns on democratic protests in Hong Kong, a former British colony, and imposition of a sweeping national security legislature in 2020 further strained bilateral ties. <\/p>\n
Starmer\u2019s trip comes at a time when U.S. President Donald Trump\u2019s foreign policy and tariff threats have unsettled traditional allies, while Beijing has hosted several Western leaders just this month including Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Ireland\u2019s Prime Minister Michael Martin \u2014 the\u00a0first visit by an Irish leader in 14 years<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 and Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo. <\/p>\n On Wednesday, Starmer called on dozens of British business leaders traveling with him to seize opportunities in the world\u2019s second largest economy. <\/p>\n