Later in the day, Sir Keir is expected to meet Chinese Premier Li Qiang and sign a number of new agreements between the UK and China. Some 60% of the engines powering the small boats crossing the Channel have been found to be Chinese-manufactured while the boats are often made using Chinese parts. Ministers will hope the agreement helps cut the number of people crossing the Channel in small boats, something Labour has promised to reduce significantly by the next election. So far the crossings have continued, with 933 people making the journey already this year, bringing the total since Sir Keir came to power to 65,647. Addressing the trade delegation on Wednesday, Sir Keir said they were “making history” as the Government attempted to build a more “consistent” relationship with China.

Source: The Times January 29, 2026 10:53 UTC