"I hope that this visit is a very positive one, that Britain comes away from it feeling this was worth the effort," Professor Kerry Brown, Director of the Lau China Institute at King's College London, has expressed cautious optimism that Prime Minister Keir Starmer's visit to China could reset a relationship that has veered erratically for nearly a decade.
This first prime ministerial visit in eight years—since Theresa May's 2018 trip—is a calculated effort to reset the terms of engagement. It follows what Downing Street itself has termed years of inconsistent policy, swinging from a "Golden Age" to an "Ice Age."
The shift is driven by stark economic reality at home. Recent Office for National Statistics data paints a picture of a struggling economy: growth of a mere 0.3% in November 2025 followed a 0.1% contraction in October, underscoring the urgent need for new momentum.
Engagement with the world's second-largest economy is no longer a choice but a necessity, a point underscored by a delegation of nearly 60 business leaders from sectors like finance and advanced manufacturing.
"We can't continue with a very sort of flat economy," notes Brown, framing the visit as a direct response to Britain's urgent need for growth and jobs. The potential is significant: bilateral trade in goods reached $103.7 billion in 2025, with China standing as the UK's third-largest trading partner. However, with UK investment in China dwarfing the reverse flow, the focus is squarely on unlocking new opportunities.
The visit also tests Britain's geopolitical balancing act. It occurs against a backdrop of strained transatlantic ties and a more unpredictable United States—a changed landscape Brown acknowledges. Yet, he emphasizes the UK's agency: "We, as a sovereign state, should pursue those priorities. We don't have to seek permission from anyone." This sovereign intent is expected to translate into concrete talks.
Areas for collaboration highlighted by Brown—such as life sciences, environmental technology, and cancer treatment—align closely with reported discussion topics including health, climate, and education. A specific commercial goal for London is progress on reducing tariffs for whisky exports, a sector hampered by a recent tariff increase.
A telling prelude to the visit was the UK's final approval of China's new London embassy, a project stalled for seven years amid political friction—a decision seen as a tangible step towards the "mature" relationship Starmer advocates.
Brown suggests the success of this visit hinges on overcoming a persistent "Cold War mentality" in sections of British discourse. The goal is not a return to an uncritical "Golden Age," but to establish a steadier, more pragmatic framework—one that can deliver the "job-creating opportunities and investment" both economies require, based on what Brown calls a "more flexible, pragmatic approach."
Reporter: Guo Zedong
Video recording: Guo Zedong
Video editor: Pan Jiajun
Cover: Lai Meiya
