Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to visit China next week, leading a delegation of major British companies, according to reports.
The trip will include senior figures from leading firms such as BP, HSBC, InterContinental Hotels Group, Jaguar Land Rover and Rolls-Royce. The companies are also expected to take part in a revived UK-China CEO Council, aimed at strengthening business and economic ties between the two countries.
Downing Street has not officially confirmed the visit. However, preparations appear to be under way following a trip to Beijing in November by Jonathan Powell, the UK’s national security adviser, who held talks with China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi.
The proposed visit comes amid renewed debate over the UK’s relationship with China. Tensions have been heightened by recent controversies, including the decision to drop charges against two men previously accused of spying for Beijing.
Last week, the government approved plans for China to build a new, large embassy near the Tower of London, after security agencies advised that potential national security risks could be managed. The decision has drawn opposition from local residents, who are preparing a legal challenge to the planning approval.
China’s foreign ministry said the embassy project complies with international diplomatic rules and that host countries have an obligation to support the establishment of diplomatic premises.
The move to re-engage China also comes during wider global tensions, including a diplomatic dispute involving Greenland and security concerns in the Arctic raised by former US president Donald Trump.
The UK-China CEO Council was first launched in 2018 during a period of warmer relations between the two countries.
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