British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will seek to build a “pragmatic” relationship with China that is “rooted in the UK’s national interests” when he meets President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Brazil on Monday.

The meeting is the first to take place between a British prime minister and Xi since 2018, as Starmer’s Labour government seeks to reset ties with China following years of tensions over human rights, Hong Kong, and allegations of Chinese espionage.

Relations between London and Beijing deteriorated in the last decade as Britain grew concerned that an open door to Chinese investment could pose national security risks, and that China’s military and economic assertiveness may be acting against its interests.

But Starmer appears to be prioritising the need to boost trade to grow the economy, a task that may become more difficult if US President-elect Donald Trump follows through on his threat to impose tariffs on all imports and as Britain’s economy continues to adapt to life outside the European Union.

“Close cooperation with the world’s leading economies is vital to secure investment into the UK, and create the jobs needed to catalyse growth,” Starmer said in a statement.

China is Britain’s sixth-largest trading partner, accounting for 5% of goods and services trade worth 86.5 billion pounds ($112 billion), while Britain has a 1.2% market share of Chinese trade.

Xi and Starmer spoke for the first time in August, with the British prime minister stating that the two countries must be able to talk frankly about their disagreements while pursuing closer economic ties. Xi responded that he hoped Britain would treat China “objectively and rationally.”

The Labour administration, which took power in July, has commissioned an audit of the UK-China relationship, and a more pro-business approach will draw fierce criticism from the opposition Conservative party which remains wary of Beijing.

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy visited China last month and finance minister Rachel Reeves is considering travelling to Beijing in early 2025.
 

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