In a significant diplomatic move, British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has articulated a foreign policy approach that refuses to prioritize relationships with either the United States or China, marking a departure from binary Cold War-era thinking. The announcement comes as the Prime Minister prepares for the first official visit by a UK leader to Beijing in eight years, with dozens of British business executives joining the delegation.
Speaking exclusively to Bloomberg News, Sir Keir emphasized that maintaining “close ties” with the United States on business, security, and defense matters remains paramount while simultaneously pursuing economic opportunities with China, the world’s second-largest economy. “I’m often invited to simply choose between countries. I don’t do that,” stated the Prime Minister, drawing parallels to his previous stance during US trade deal negotiations when he similarly rejected choosing between America and Europe.
The timing of this diplomatic mission follows recent transatlantic tensions, including President Donald Trump’s threats to impose tariffs on allies who opposed his Greenland territorial ambitions and his controversial remarks about NATO troop deployments in Afghanistan. Additionally, Trump’s warning of 100% tariffs on Canadian goods if Canada pursued trade agreements with China highlighted the increasingly complex geopolitical landscape.
Sir Keir addressed national security concerns directly, particularly relevant following the UK’s controversial approval of a massive new Chinese embassy in London despite warnings it could facilitate espionage activities. “They understand the opportunities that there are… That does not mean compromising on national security – quite the opposite,” the Prime Minister noted regarding the business delegation accompanying him.
The Prime Minister characterized previous UK-China relations as inconsistent, swinging from a “golden age” to an “Ice Age,” and explicitly rejected this polarized approach. However, he indicated that his engagement would not avoid difficult conversations, specifically mentioning intentions to raise human rights concerns including the case of Jimmy Lai, the British citizen and Hong Kong pro-democracy publisher convicted of colluding with foreign forces.
This position has drawn criticism from prominent China hawks, including Lord Chris Patten, the last British governor of Hong Kong, who described such diplomatic approaches as “pathetic” if human rights discussions were treated as secondary concerns. Patten argued that British policy toward China had historically rested on the “falsehood” that business relations required avoiding uncomfortable topics.
The Prime Minister’s visit, encompassing both Beijing and Shanghai, represents a strategic effort to stabilize UK-China relations while maintaining critical Western alliances, reflecting what Sir Keir previously described as necessary to avoid a “dereliction of duty” in navigating complex international relationships.