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Keir Starmer has said the UK government will remain “clear-eyed and realistic” on the national security threat posed by China as he travelled to Beijing in an effort to improve relations with the economic powerhouse.
The prime minister promised “stability and clarity” in his approach to Beijing after years of what he described as “inconsistency” under the Tories, as western powers turn to China in their search for economic stability amid concerns the US may no longer be a reliable partner.
Starmer’s trip comes amid tensions between Britain and its close ally, the US, over Donald Trump’s threats to take control of Greenland and his criticism of the Chagos Islands deal.
Downing Street said that at a time of growing global instability, where events abroad continued to rebound on people at home, he would act in the UK’s national interest. He will meet China’s president, Xi Jinping, and the premier, Li Qiang, in Beijing on Thursday for talks.
Starmer has faced criticism at home for pursuing a thaw in relations with China while the country remains a national security threat to the UK, with a decision to greenlight a new mega-embassy in London last week angering opposition politicians.
China has also been accused of trying to recruit informants in parliament, harass Hong Kong pro-democracy activists in the UK, suppress criticism by an academic at a British university, and engage in cyber-attacks.
Downing Street said Starmer would maintain “guardrails” on national security, while discussing economic ties with China’s leaders. But they said he would not trade one for the other, and would raise areas of disagreement, including human rights abuses.
The prime minister has argued the UK cannot afford to ignore the economic opportunities presented by China – the world’s second largest economy and the UK’s third largest trading partner, supporting 370,000 British jobs.
As he becomes the first UK leader in eight years to visit Beijing, he promised to take a more pragmatic stance. “For years, our approach to China has been dogged by inconsistency, blowing hot and cold, from golden age to ice age. But like it or not, China matters for the UK,” he said.
“As one of the world’s biggest economic players, a strategic and consistent relationship with them is firmly in our national interest. That does not mean turning a blind eye to the challenges they pose – but engaging even where we disagree.”
The Conservatives have said that Starmer should not be travelling to China. The shadow foreign secretary, Priti Patel, said: “The evidence is overwhelming that China poses a serious threat to our national security and it is clear Keir Starmer is going to China without any leverage. He lacks the backbone to stand up for Britain and is bending over backwards to appease Beijing.
“Starmer has already surrendered to the CCP [Chinese Communist party] over their plan for a spy-hub super-embassy in the heart of our capital, and agreed to hand over British sovereign territory and £35bn of taxpayers’ money to an ally of China with his Chagos deal.
“Britain cannot afford for him to make any more concessions, or for him to stay silent on China’s repression of dissidents like Jimmy Lai or the CCP’s attempts to undermine our democracy.”
But a No 10 source said: “Sticking our heads in the sand and refusing to engage would be a staggering dereliction of duty. It would make the British people less safe, cut us off from opportunities, and weaken our ability to manage global challenges in areas like health and climate.”
They pointed out that Trump met Xi in October and planned to visit China in April. Since early 2018, France’s president, Emmanuel Macron, has visited China three times while German leaders have visited four times but during the same period no British prime minister has visited China.
Starmer will be accompanied on the three-day visit to Beijing and Shanghai by a delegation of about 60 British businesses and cultural organisations, including HSBC, GSK, Jaguar Land Rover and the National Theatre.
The business secretary, Peter Kyle, who will also be on the trip, said: “For a decade, there has been a lack of serious engagement needed to capitalise on the opportunity of a better relationship with China.
“We want to see trade flourish between us. From financial services to advanced manufacturing and the global energy transition, the UK’s strengths increasingly align with the rapidly evolving Chinese economy.
“The first duty of government is security, and we protect ourselves best through active engagement and pragmatic cooperation, not by shutting the door.”
After his trip to China, Starmer will travel to Tokyo to meet the Japanese prime minister, Sanae Takaichi.
