UK-China ties have long been tumultuous. Is Trump enough to bring them together?

Back home, however, Starmer also faced criticism, given the souring of ties with China in recent years, including episodes of alleged Chinese spies and opposition to a massive proposed Chinese embassy complex in London. 

Why China-UK ties nosedived 

The low in China-UK ties can be gauged from the fact that Starmer’s visit was the first by a UK Prime Minister in eight years. Since then PM Theresa May’s trip in 2018, the UK has had four prime ministers. Coincidentally, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who also visited China a few days ago, was the first Canadian PM to travel to China in eight years. 

In 2020, a briefing for the UK House of Commons noted the “deteriorating relationship” between the countries, which followed two decades of “closer engagement and cooperation.” It identified many reasons for the decline, including:

*“Involvement of the Chinese multinational company Huawei in the UK’s 5G mobile phone network”. The US government had also opposed Huawei over its transactions with Iran (which the US has sanctioned), security risks concerning the Chinese state (which ultimately holds power over private companies), and charges of theft of technology. The company was ultimately banned from the UK’s network. 

*“Mounting concern about the erosion of the ‘one country, two systems’ status quo in Hong Kong”. During the colonial era, China had leased Hong Kong to the UK, which returned control to China in 1997 on a conditional basis. A novel mechanism was instituted, granting Hong Kong greater political and economic liberties while it remained under Chinese control. 

Over the last decade, China’s increasing attempts at dictating Hong Kong’s politics and institutions have caused friction with the UK. Many Hong Kongers protesting the Chinese government have fled to the UK to escape crackdowns.

*It noted “other important factors” like “Chinese secrecy over the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic and China’s human rights clampdown against the Muslim Uighur population in the Western province of Xinjiang”. 

Further, a recurring issue is the UK’s long-held reservations about China’s espionage activities and monitoring of its citizens. Several alleged surveillance incidents have been reported in recent years.

In 2024, reports of an alleged Chinese spy having access to high levels of the UK government emerged, with allegations of the man leveraging a close relationship with Prince Andrew. While the accused denied the claims, arguing he was simply a businessman who worked both in the UK and China, it underscored the heightened suspicion and general lack of trust regarding China. 

Barely a year later, another controversy unfolded after the government dropped a legal case against two people accused of covertly working for the Chinese government. Opposition MPs, including Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch, criticised the government for the move. They also pointed out that in March 2023, the UK government said that China posed an “epoch-defining and systemic challenge” to the country.

More recently, the UK government approved the Chinese government’s plans for a 20,000 sq km embassy complex in central London. The massive project had come under scrutiny over concerns that it could be used to bolster surveillance activities. 

Closer turn, global churn 

The 2020 House of Commons briefing came towards the end of the first Trump administration. Citing the issues related to China, it hinted at continuing focus on ties with the US. “Whatever short-term challenges there may be with the current US administration under President Donald Trump, the “special relationship” will endure.” 

In the second Trump administration, which is a supercharged version of the first term and then some, that assumption is under strain. The US President has not spared US allies in his imposition of high tariffs, and doubled down on his earlier claims that organisations such as and the UN were treating the US unfairly. Starmer, like many other world leaders, has struggled to respond to the sudden challenges that Trump has thrown up.

When asked to comment on the visit, Trump called the prospect of the countries doing business with each other “very dangerous” for the UK. He earlier said after the Canadian PM’s visit that “China will eat Canada alive, completely devour it, including the destruction of their businesses, social fabric, and general way of life.” 

Add to that the UK’s continued economic woes, including a cost-of-living crisis and stagnant economic growth. It has been years in the making, following Britain’s exit from the European Union and its integrated single market, and the Covid-19 pandemic.

In this context, the UK is once again turning to China. Starmer told Xi, “China is a vital player on the global stage, and it’s vital that we build a more sophisticated relationship where we can identify opportunities to collaborate, but of course, also allow a meaningful dialogue on areas where we disagree.”

It fits into China’s diversification plans, too, with the manufacturing giant seeking markets beyond the US, even though its focus in the last 12 months has mainly been on the developing world. Xi said China was ready to develop a long-term partnership with Britain following “twists and turns” that did not serve the interests of either country. 

Following the visit, several trade-related measures have been announced. China committed to reducing tariff rates on British whisky from 10% to 5%, and agreed to allow British citizens to travel to the country for up to 30 days without a visa. Citing Downing Street, the BBC reported that the governments agreed to explore negotiations on a services agreement. “The UK is the world’s second largest exporter of services – including in finance, healthcare and legal services – and No 10 said demand from China in the area was growing,” it said. 

With years of twists and turns and a lack of trust, that is easier said than done. As BBC journalist Chris Mason wrote about the trip, “Everyone I have encountered on this trip, from government officials to the corporate and cultural delegation to journalists, have taken more electronic security precautions than on any other trip I have been on. Most are on temporary phone numbers and many have left their usual digital devices at home. Quite the backdrop, then, for a relationship being warmed up.”