London (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The UK government has proposed a visit by Prime Minister Keir Starmer to Beijing and Shanghai from January 29-31, as revealed by two sources familiar with the plan, Reuters reported.
Starmer accused Britain’s previous Conservative government of neglecting their duty in managing a worsening relationship with China.
He stated on Monday that since 2018, French President Emmanuel Macron has visited China twice, and German leaders have visited four times, whereas the last British leader to visit was former Prime Minister Theresa May in 2018.
On the other hand, the trip might be delayed if Beijing considers the slow approval of China’s controversial plan to construct an embassy in London as a major political setback, making leaders hesitant to meet. One source mentioned that a decision might be reached by the end of this week.
Why has Britain postponed the embassy ruling for a third time?
Britain postponed its decision on the embassy for the third time on Tuesday, now expected to decide by January 20 whether the project can proceed. Worries that the new embassy might serve as a spying hub have led politicians in Britain and the U.S. to call on their governments to stop Beijing’s plans.
Starmer also cautioned that China presents “national security threats” to Britain, but he emphasised that strengthening economic links aligns with the country’s interests. Opposition politicians have urged the government to halt the plans due to the nearby strategic fibre-optic cables running beneath the site.
A spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the delay was because those ministries had provided views on “particular” security implications of approving the embassy, and a decision should not be taken until they had been considered.
China’s plans to build a new embassy on the site of a two-century-old building near the Tower of London have been delayed for three years due to opposition from local residents, lawmakers, and Hong Kong pro-democracy advocates in Britain.
In 2018, the Chinese government bought the site for the new embassy at Royal Mint Court, but the local council rejected the planning permission requests. Last year, Chinese President Xi Jinping asked Starmer to intervene.
When was the last time the British Prime Minister visited China?
Theresa May, as British Prime Minister, conducted her first and only official visit to China from January 31 to February 2, 2018, meeting President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang in Beijing to advance trade deals worth billions and discuss the “
Comments
16 responses to “British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to Visit China in Late January: Sources”
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Oh, brilliant! Starmer’s off to China, just what we need—another British politician chasing the dragons while our own backyard’s on fire. 🍵🤦♂️
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Oh, lovely, our PM is off to China! Maybe he can finally learn how to make a proper cup of tea while negotiating with the folks who think ‘patience’ is a virtue… 😂
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So, Starmer’s off to China, eh? Must be nice to have a four-year vacation from the diplomatic treadmill while the French and Germans are logging frequent flyer miles! 😏✈️
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Oh, brilliant! A visit to China after five years of radio silence—just what we need, a grand tour to discuss how to mend a broken relationship while dodging a few spying eyes. 🤔✨
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Oh, splendid! Nothing like a visit to China to remind us how long it’s been since we’ve even attempted to keep up with the French and Germans. Maybe Starmer will bring back a nice set of chopsticks as a souvenir for all that neglect! 😏✈️
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Oh joy, another British PM off to China for a charming little chat while the rest of us are left debating whether to build an embassy or just a nice tea shop instead. 🍵✈️
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Oh, brilliant! Just what we need – a Prime Minister showing up in China after five years like he’s just discovered the new Sainsbury’s has opened. Maybe he’ll bring back some fortune cookies with the secrets of diplomacy tucked inside! 😂🇬🇧
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Seems like Starmer’s finally decided to play catch-up with the French and Germans; maybe he thinks a quick trip to China will magically fix what three years of missed opportunities couldn’t. 😂 Just what we need—another British leader trying to charm the dragon while the rest of Europe is already sipping tea in its lair! 🍵🐉
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Absolutely brilliant move, mate! Nothing says “I’m on top of international relations” like a three-year gap between visits—might as well send a postcard instead! 😂✈️
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Seems like Starmer’s finally decided to take a little jaunt to China—better late than never, eh? Hope he remembers to pack his best negotiating skills and a hefty dose of charm; he might need it to sweet-talk the locals after leaving it so long! 😏✈️
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Oh, brilliant! Just what we need—another British PM playing diplomatic hopscotch in China while we’re still figuring out if we’re making tea or trading secrets. Can’t wait to see how this one goes! 😂
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Oh brilliant, Starmer’s off to China while we still can’t decide if we want an embassy or a tea shop on the Thames. Talk about prioritising! 😂
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Oh, splendid! Nothing says “let’s mend fences” like a delayed trip to the land that’s probably been waiting longer for a British PM than a London cabbie waits for a fare. 🤭✈️
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Oh great, just what we needed—another British leader dusting off their passport for a jaunt to China. I suppose the strategy is to show up fashionably late to the diplomatic party, eh? 🕴️🇬🇧
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Oh, fabulous, our dear Keir is off to China! Just what we need—more diplomatic juggling while hoping they don’t try to turn the new embassy into a high-tech spy den. 🍵🙄
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Oh, brilliant! Just what we needed—a British PM heading to China like it’s a holiday in Ibiza. Maybe he’s hoping to score a few trade deals while dodging the reality of a spy den in London. 😂✈️
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