Beijing: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer met with Chinese President Xi Jinping today in Beijing to discuss issues that he hopes will help deepen economic ties. During his four-day visit to China, President Xi Jinping welcomed Mr. Starmer at the Great Hall of the People. The two men held discussions for approximately 40 minutes before having lunch together. He is also scheduled to meet with Premier Li Qiang this afternoon.

According to Thai News Agency, Prime Minister Starmer's Labour government, facing the challenge of delivering on its promises of economic growth, has elevated improving relations with China as a key priority, hoping to create new business opportunities. At the start of their meeting, Prime Minister Starmer emphasized to the Chinese president that China plays a crucial role globally and that Britain needs to build a more complex and comprehensive relationship with it.

President Xi acknowledged that past relations with the UK have been fraught with obstacles and volatility, which have not been beneficial to either side, while affirming China's readiness to develop a long-term strategic partnership.

This visit, the first by a British leader since 2018, comes amid heightened tensions between Britain and the United States, a long-standing close ally, following several statements by President Donald Trump, including threats to seize control of Greenland. Furthermore, Mr. Starmer's visit follows a visit by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who recently signed an economic agreement with China to remove trade barriers, a move that also angered Mr. Trump.

In terms of concrete cooperation, the British Prime Minister's office revealed that the two leaders will announce a collaboration to crack down on human trafficking rings that smuggle illegal migrants. The agreement will focus on reducing the use of Chinese-made engines for small boats used to transport migrants across Europe seeking asylum. Both countries will share intelligence to identify supply routes for trafficking groups and coordinate with Chinese manufacturers to prevent legitimate businesses from being exploited by criminal groups.