Such talks would be particularly interesting as President Donald Trump returns to the White House threatening to impose punitive tariffs on China under his “America First” policy.
Mr Starmer said: “I am hopeful that the Prime Minister will meet with Deputy Prime Minister He in the lead-up to the Economic and Financial Dialogue planned for early next year to explore more investment projects and a more level playing field to support our business. I strongly hope so.”
Chinese state media Xinhua News Agency reported that Xi told Starmer that the two countries should “maintain the strategic partnership and open up new prospects for China-UK relations.”
The Chinese premier also called on the two countries to “adhere to the strategic partnership and commit to mutual respect, openness (and) cooperation.”
In a helpful nod to Britain’s new prime minister, Mr. Xi said the British government was “working to repair the foundations of our economy and rebuild Britain.” These are two buzzwords from Labour’s own election campaign materials.
relationship that increases or decreases
Starmer will be the first British prime minister to meet with Xi since Theresa May visited Beijing in February 2018. Rishi Sunak had planned to meet in 2022, but the schedule was disrupted when leaders held an emergency meeting following a missile attack in NATO member Poland, near the border with Ukraine.
At the most recent peak in relations in 2015, Prime Minister David Cameron served as prime minister at a time when the Conservative Party was actively courting China, declaring a “golden age” with China.
But relations subsequently soured under Boris Johnson’s government as President Trump pressured Britain to exclude Chinese company Huawei from the UK’s 5G network. Given that the issue was a matter of national security, Britain sided with the United States, but this move clearly soured relations with China.
