British Prime Minister Keir Starmer touched down in Beijing with a business delegation on Wednesday for a three-day visit. Starmer is seeking to strengthen political and business ties between the UK and China, as relations between the US and its allies become increasingly strained under Donald Trump. “It doesn’t make sense to stick our head in the ground and bury it in the sand when it comes to China: It’s in our interests to engage,” Starmer told reporters on the flight to China. “I have long been clear that the UK and China need a long-term, consistent and comprehensive strategic partnership,” he said. “I’m a pragmatist, a British pragmatist applying common sense,” said Starmer, the first prime minister to visit China since Theresa May in 2018.

Source: Dhaka Tribune January 29, 2026 15:05 UTC