Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 03:21pm on 29 Jan 2026,Thursday International
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, emphasizing the need for maintaining open dialogue on areas of disagreement while building a long-term strategic partnership. The visit, the first by a British leader in eight years, secured 30 days' visa-free travel for UK citizens visiting China for business and tourism. Starmer welcomed AstraZeneca's $15 billion investment in China and discussed lower Chinese tariffs on whisky. The three-hour summit and lunch covered trade, security, Ukraine war, and cultural topics. Starmer stated that engagement with major powers is directly linked to UK's domestic growth, calling China a vital global player.
