British Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in Beijing on Wednesday evening (January 28) for a visit aimed at strengthening political and business ties with China as relations between Western countries and the U.S. become more volatile, Reuters reports.
Travelling with a delegation of more than 50 business leaders, Starmer is expected to meet with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang on Thursday (January 29) before travelling to Shanghai on Friday (January 30) for talks with local executives.
The visit could mark a critical shift in ties between Britain and China after years of deep acrimony over Beijing's crackdown on political freedoms in Hong Kong, China's support for Russia in the Ukraine war and allegations by British security services that China regularly spies on politicians and officials.
For China, the visit offers the country a chance to portray itself as a stable and reliable partner at a time of global disorder.
