Starmer's meeting with Xi Jinping went well but he faces a delicate balancing act to secure Britain interests amid global turmoil
Less than a decade ago, the UK and China were close enough that David Cameron could host Xi Jinping for pints of bitter at his local pub and then take him to Manchester City’s ground where the pair posed for a selfie with star striker Sergio Aguero.
A first face-to-face meeting between Starmer and Xi was rapidly interpreted as a response to the election of Donald Trump as the next US President, and the consequent need to nurture other relationships in the event ofBut a Government official denied that events in America were the spur, insisting that the move to thaw what had become frosty diplomatic relations with Beijing had been in train for some time.
The next step in the rebuilding of relations is for Chancellor Rachel Reeves to visit China in the New Year to talk up the economic benefits of closer ties with Beijing. And while No 10 refuses to be drawn on it, the possibility of Starmer paying a visit of his own to China has not been explicitly ruled out.
But for others, it is precisely that threat of trade war that makes it difficult for Sino-British ties to get much stronger. Ben Ramanauskas, a former adviser to the Department for International Trade, warned: “I’m not sure there are ways we could build up trade with China without angering Trump, so it’s probably best to keep at least the status quo with regards to China.
In the early years of Starmer’s leadership of Labour, his team repeatedly accused the Conservatives of being too soft on China. But he now appears to have changed his tune, making it clear that he believes the economic relationship is essential. The Prime Minister told the BBC this week: “China is the second biggest economy in the world and it is important, therefore, we do have a pragmatic relationship.
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