Starmer Wants UK Plc to Win Over China’s Xi Without Annoying Trump

Keir Starmer and Xi Jinping in 2024.Photographer: Stefan Rousseau/WPA Pool/Getty Images

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By Brendan Murray, Lucy White, and Alex Wickham

January 27, 2026 at 10:30 PM UTC

Updated on

January 28, 2026 at 10:16 AM UTC

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in Beijing on Wednesday confident he can do what few leaders have shown the political dexterity to pull off: broaden trade ties with China without annoying President Donald Trump.

“I’m often invited to simply choose between countries,” Starmer said in an interview with Bloomberg before departing London for four days of talks with officials including President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang on Thursday. “I don’t do that.”