What is behind Keir Starmer’s meeting with China’s president?

For years, the UK’s relationship with China has been poor, dominated by rows about democracy in Hong Kong, human rights in Xinjiang and cyber threats against UK bodies.

Much of this has been fuelled by a cross-party alliance of MPs pushing hard for a more hawkish approach.

But Sir Keir Starmer is determined to improve relations – still challenging Beijing over disagreements but also looking for cooperation where possible.

So at the G20 summit in Brazil he became the first British prime minister to meet President Xi Jinping for more than six years. The last PM to do so was Theresa May in 2018.

Sir Keir told China’s leader a strong relationship was important for both countries – and for the international community.

“We want our relations to be consistent, durable, respectful as we have agreed,” he said. We need to “avoid surprises where possible and strengthen dialogue” and the UK would be more “predictable and consistent”.

Some Conservatives have criticised the prime minister for seeking warmer relations – even though that is what their party was doing less vocally in recent months.

Remember the former Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly, visited Beijing in only August last year.

The current Tory critics accuse the PM of reneging on promises made in opposition to get tougher on China over its human rights abuses.

Downing Street said Sir Keir told President Xi he wanted to engage “honestly and frankly” on areas of disagreement – including Hong Kong, human rights and Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Sir Keir raised the case of the detained pro-democracy businessman, Jimmy Lai, saying he was concerned about reports of his deterioration.

What the prime minister really wants is more trade with China, to boost economic growth at home.

He repeatedly notes that China is the second biggest economy in the world and one of the UK’s biggest trading partners.

During the meeting with President Xi, he offered a full UK-China meeting either in London or Beijing. The Chancellor Rachel Reeves will travel to China in the spring.

For his part, Mr Xi said there was “broad space” for both countries to co-operate on trade and investment, clean energy and health care.

The problem is all this could become otiose if Donald Trump imposes huge tariffs on Chinese imports and triggers a global trade war.

In wars, countries often have to take sides.

The President-elect has – through his government appointments – made clear that his priority is facing down what he sees as the challenge from China.

That is why he wants Europe to spend more on its defence – so he can deploy US forces to the Pacific.

And that is why Europeans are braced for fresh pressure from the US to adopt a tougher approach to China.

Many in the US think the UK and the EU are trying to curry favour in Beijing by being less hostile than Washington.

So the prime minister is trying to engage more closely with China, and at the very least be more consistent than his predecessors.

Whether that policy survives contact with the second Trump presidency remains to be seen.