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2026.01.31 19:17 GMT+8

A new chapter? What Starmer's China visit means for China-UK Relations

Updated 2026.01.31 19:17 GMT+8
The Agenda

Keir Starmer has become the first British Prime Minister to visit China in eight years.

He met both President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, calling China "a vital player on a global scale" with whom the UK was seeking "a more sophisticated relationship".

For his part, President Xi called on China & the UK to jointly advocate and practice "true multilateralism".

But what does all this really tell us about China-UK relations?

On this edition of The Agenda, Juliet Mann is joined by Professor Jinghan Zeng, Department of Public and International Affairs at City University of Hong Kong, Professor Kerry Brown, Director of the Lau China Institute at King's College London, and Steven Lynch, Director of the British Chamber of Commerce.

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