Those talks will be particularly interesting as Donald Trump returns to the White House threatening to hit China with punitive tariffs under his “America First” policy.
“I’m keen that my chancellor should meet with Vice Premier He for the upcoming economic financial dialogue early next year to explore more investment projects and a more level playing field to help our businesses,” Starmer said.
Chinese state media outlet Xinhua reported that Xi told Starmer the two countries “should uphold their strategic partnership and open up new prospects for China-U.K. relations.”
The Chinese premier also called on the two countries to “live up to our strategic partnership and commit to mutual respect, openness [and] cooperation.”
In a helpful nod to Britain’s new prime minister, Xi said the U.K. government is “working to fix the foundations of the economy and rebuild Britain” — two buzz-phrases from Labour’s own campaigning material.
Waxing and waning relationship
Starmer is the first U.K. PM to meet Xi since Theresa May’s February 2018 trip to Beijing. Rishi Sunak had planned a meeting in 2022 but the schedule was torn up as leaders held emergency meetings after a missile strike in NATO-member Poland near its border with Ukraine.
During a recent peak in relations in 2015, David Cameron declared a “golden era” with China while PM at a time when the Conservatives were actively courting Beijing.
Relations later frayed under Boris Johnson, however, as Trump pressured Britain to purge Chinese firm Huawei from Britain’s 5G network. Given that the matter was one of national security, the U.K. sided with America, but the move clearly soured ties with China.