Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has announced that UK citizens will soon be able to travel to China without a visa for trips lasting up to 30 days.
The announcement was made during his official visit to Beijing, the first by a British prime minister in eight years, and follows talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Downing Street said the visa-free arrangement, which will apply to tourist and business travel, will bring the UK in line with several European countries including France and Germany. Although no start date has been confirmed, the government said it hopes the measure will take effect as soon as possible.
Currently, UK travellers must apply in person for visas, a process that can cost at least £130.Alongside the travel announcement, the UK government confirmed that import tariffs on British whisky sold in China will be cut from 10% to 5%. The move is expected to be worth around £250m to UK exporters over the next five years. China is a major market for whisky, with sales valued at about $2.3bn in 2022.
Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca also announced plans to invest $15bn (£10.9bn) in China by 2030, underlining growing cooperation in the life sciences sector. The UK government said it had also agreed to begin a feasibility study on a potential trade-in-services agreement, which could benefit industries such as finance, technology and professional services.
After meeting President Xi, Starmer said the relationship between the two countries were in a good, strong place, adding that engagement with China was in the UK’s national interest.
Xi acknowledged past difficulties in the relationship but said dialogue was unavoidable in a turbulent global climate.
However, the government insisted the agreements would create opportunities for British businesses while protecting its interests.
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