CGTN: Beyond differences: Why the British PM calls long-awaited China trip a ‘huge opportunity’

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CGTN published an article on UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit to China, highlighting that amid rising global uncertainty, Beijing and London are placing greater emphasis on long-term stability, pragmatic cooperation and shared interests in global governance and economic growth.

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BEIJING, Jan. 29, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Chinese President Xi Jinping met British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Beijing on Thursday, marking the first visit by a UK prime minister to China in eight years. Both leaders emphasized the need to build a long-term consistent comprehensive strategic partnership.

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Emphasizing the need to see history from a broader perspective, Xi called on the two countries to transcend differences and maintain mutual respect, so that the promising potential of cooperation could be translated into remarkable accomplishments, benefiting both peoples and the world.

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Starmer opened the meeting by acknowledging the long gap in high-level exchanges. It had been “too long” since a British prime minister last visited China, he said. Upon arriving in Beijing, he framed the trip in pragmatic terms. “It is in our national interest to engage with China,” Starmer told reporters. “There are huge opportunities to be had.”

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As permanent members of the UN Security Council and major global economies, China and the UK share vital interests in promoting economic growth, supporting social development and contributing to global stability.

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Seeking cooperation in an uncertain world

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Analysts say Starmer’s visit reflects a broader European trend, where countries are increasingly seeking pragmatic engagement with China amid rising global uncertainty.

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Recent months have seen high-level visits to China by leaders from France, Ireland and Finland. A CGTN poll showed that 85.2 percent of respondents believe such frequent visits reflect a broad consensus on achieving equal and orderly multipolarity, as well as inclusive and beneficial globalization.

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Wang Zhanpeng, director of the UK Studies Center at Beijing Foreign Studies University, noted that the unpredictable policies, unilateralism and assertive actions of the Trump administration had posed challenges for Europe. He said European leaders’ visits reflect a recognition that China’s development is neither a challenge nor a threat to Europe. “Starmer’s visit could further encourage others to move beyond the dilemma of choosing sides and support a more balanced, multipolar global order,” he added.

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Vince Cable, former UK secretary of State for Business and Trade, offered a similar perspective. “The erratic behavior of the Trump administration is causing many Western countries, not just the UK, to balance their relationships in a different way,” he told CGTN.