Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has defended his four-day visit to China, telling Parliament that engagement with the world’s second-largest economy is essential to safeguarding UK interests, jobs and national security. He argued Britain can “do two things at once”: protect itself while cooperating where interests align.
Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch, Leader of the Conservative Party, criticised the trip as “supine and short-termist”, accusing the Prime Minister of returning with limited gains and weakening the UK’s global position. She rejected claims that the lifting of Chinese sanctions on four Conservative MPs amounted to a diplomatic success.
Starmer said meetings with President Xi Jinping allowed the UK to raise concerns over human rights, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and China’s support for Russia’s war in Ukraine, while advancing economic cooperation. He insisted enhanced powers for UK security services ensure engagement does not compromise national safety.
Follow on social media TikTok@tut0ughInstagram@tut0ugh Threads@tut0ugh X@tut0ugh YouTube@tut0ugh
tut0ugh 