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His bid to woo China comes amid strains on the US-UK relationship from Donald Trump’s demands to take Greenland and his slur over the role played by Nato forces in Afghanistan

Keir Starmer has travelled to China to try and thaw frosty relations in the first visit by a British PM in eight years.

His bid to woo China comes amid strains on the US-UK relationship from Donald Trump’s demands to take Greenland and his slur over the role played by Nato forces in Afghanistan.

But the PM faces pressure to challenge Chinese leader Xi Jinping on a number of thorny topics, including espionage, the treatment of Uighur Muslims and the imprisonment of Jimmy Lai, a Hong Kong pro-democracy campaigner and British national.

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Mr Starmer hopes to end this “Ice Age” since coming into office, holding talks with President Xi at the G20 summit in 2024. Ahead of the trip, the PM said: “For years, our approach to China has been dogged by inconsistency – blowing hot and cold, from Golden Age to Ice Age. But like it or not, China matters for the UK.

“As one of the world’s biggest economic players, a strategic and consistent relationship with them is firmly in our national interest. That does not mean turning a blind eye to the challenges they pose – but engaging even where we disagree.

“This is what our allies do, and what I will do: delivering for the public, putting money in their pockets and keeping them safe through pragmatic, consistent co-operation abroad.”

The trip is no uncommon for international leaders. French President Emmanuel Macron has visited China three times, while German chancellor Friedrich Merz and the US President are due to visit soon.

The visit has proved controversial, amid rows over attempted Chinese espionage in Parliament, sanctions of British MPs who have vocally criticised Beijing, and allegations of human rights abuses. However, the PM sees an economic prize in deeper ties, especially with Mr Trump continuing to cause global chaos with threats of tariffs.