Starmer's visit to China opens a new chapter of pragmatic Sino-British cooperation
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer recently paid an official visit to China — the first by a UK prime minister in eight years — which represented a clear return to a path of pragmatic cooperation between China and the United Kingdom.
Leading a high-powered delegation that included the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, and dozens of top executives from leading British corporations, Starmer sent an unequivocal message: the new Labour government is committed to a more coherent, consistent, and enduring China strategy, with economic and trade cooperation as its cornerstone, aiming to foster a healthy and stable development of Sino-UK relations.
Starmer's visit marks a profound and pragmatic shift in Britain's China policy. Economic and trade collaboration has now become the central pillar of deepening bilateral ties — a shift evident not only in political resolve at the highest level, but also rooted in Britain's long-standing mercantilist tradition. Since the early modern era, the integration of commercial interests with national strategy has been a defining feature of British diplomacy. The presence of both the Chancellor and the Business Secretary on this trip underscores the UK government's determination to place commercial negotiations at the forefront of its diplomatic agenda. Moreover, the large business delegation vividly demonstrates the urgent desire of British industry to deepen engagement with China. HSBC and Standard Chartered aim to further expand their operations in the Chinese market; AstraZeneca seeks stronger collaboration with China on innovative pharmaceutical development and public health systems; and Jaguar Land Rover is focused on localizing and upgrading its new-energy vehicle supply chains. These concrete initiatives represent a modern manifestation of British mercantilism within today's global economic order — leveraging deeper economic ties with China to elevate bilateral relations and secure tangible benefits for the UK economy. In an era of sluggish growth, fiscal strain, and declining industrial competitiveness, Britain needs a stable, open, and dynamic Chinese market more than ever. In 2025, bilateral goods trade between China and the UK reached $103.7 billion , services trade is poised to exceed $30 billion, and cumulative two-way investment stands at nearly $68 billion. If the Labour government is serious about delivering on its campaign pledge to "rebuild Britain", it cannot afford to bypass the world's second-largest economy.
Starmer's visit embodies Britain's strategic balancing wisdom. The timing is particularly symbolic — it comes in the wake of the 80th anniversary of the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War. Eight decades ago, during the darkest days of that global conflict, China fought valiantly and tied down the bulk of Japan's ground forces, while Britain resisted Nazi aggression across Western Europe and North Africa. The immense sacrifices made by both peoples jointly defended the very foundations of human civilization. This shared historical memory should not be forgotten — nor should it be deliberately downplayed by certain political forces. It remains a precious emotional and moral foundation for contemporary Sino-British relations. In today's complex and fluid geopolitical landscape, the Starmer government has clearly stated that "the UK does not have to choose between the United States and China." This reflects the enduring art of balance in British diplomacy — maintaining traditional alliances without being rigidly locked into a single bloc, instead pursuing the nation's best interests by navigating a multipolar world with strategic autonomy. Such a stance — not blindly aligning with one side — is both a partial return to Britain's historical tradition of equilibrium and a rational response to current realities. It shows that even within the Western camp, there are clear-eyed voices who understand that uncritically following a logic of confrontation or forced alignment will only undermine one's own room to maneuver and develop.
Starmer's visit highlights the shared responsibility of China and the UK in upholding and revitalizing multilateralism. Today, facing global challenges ranging from the climate crisis to non-traditional security threats, both nations — as permanent members of the UN Security Council — must jointly safeguard the UN-centered international system, rather than becoming pawns in a great-power rivalry. Starmer's trip provides a crucial opportunity for the two countries to align their positions on multilateral platforms and improve global governance. True multilateralism must be open, inclusive, and grounded in rules under the UN framework — not confined to exclusive "small circles" or used as a pretext to trample upon international law and norms. Enhanced communication and coordination between China and the UK within multilateral institutions — along with their joint opposition to unilateralism and protectionism — not only serves their mutual interests, but also injects much-needed stability and predictability into an increasingly volatile world order, guiding global governance toward greater fairness and reasonableness.
Starmer's visit sets an important precedent for great-power relations. Recently, leaders from several Western countries — including the Prime Ministers of Canada and Finland — have visited China in succession, creating a visible trend of high-level dialogue with Beijing. This wave clearly demonstrates that pragmatic cooperation based on mutual respect and equal benefit remains the mainstream and prevailing trend in international relations. The positive momentum of Sino-British ties proves to the world that countries with different social systems and cultural traditions can enhance understanding through dialogue and achieve win-win outcomes through cooperation. This stands as a powerful rebuttal to narrow-minded narratives of a "new Cold War" or "decoupling", offering a practical model for managing differences and expanding cooperation amid strategic competition. It also contributes to steering the international order toward a more inclusive and balanced multipolarity. An increasing number of nations now recognize that China's development represents an opportunity, not a threat; that US-China strategic rivalry should not dictate the foreign policy choices of third parties; and that exclusive blocs cannot solve humanity's shared challenges. If China and the UK can seize this moment to stabilize and deepen their relationship, the benefits will extend far beyond their bilateral ties — they will bring greater certainty to an unstable world.
Starmer's visit bridges not only an eight-year gap in time, but also the psychological distance that had grown between the two nations during years of volatility. It sends a clear signal to the world: even in an age of uncertainty, rationality, pragmatism, and dialogue can — and should — remain the main melody of international relations. As two globally influential powers, China and the UK can simultaneously honor their shared wartime legacy, deepen practical cooperation in the present, and jointly champion multilateralism for the future. Such a partnership will not only bring greater well-being to their peoples, but also make an irreplaceable contribution to global peace, stability, and prosperity — writing a new chapter of constructive great-power interaction.
As the renowned Scottish poet Robert Burns once wrote:
"We'll take a cup o'kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!"
In today's era of accelerating transformation unseen in a century, China and the UK — nations rich in history and global vision — have every capacity to rise above their differences, jointly uphold a rules-based international order, and contribute their unique strength to building a community with a shared future for humanity.
The author is a PhD student at Institute of Area Studies, Peking University.
The views don't necessarily reflect those of China Daily.
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