British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Downing Avenue on January 27, 2026 in London, England.
Jack Taylor | Getty Photos Information | Getty Photos
BEIJING — Practically 60 British companies and cultural organizations will be a part of U.Okay. Prime Minister Keir Starmer on his journey to China this week, the primary such state go to in eight years.
Starmer is because of meet with Chinese language President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang on Thursday to debate commerce, funding and nationwide safety, in line with an official U.Okay. readout that listed the enterprise representatives accompanying the British chief.
The group consists of monetary business leaders equivalent to HSBC Group Chairman Brendan Nelson and Aberdeen Group CEO Jason Windsor.
Plane big Airbus‘s basic counsel John Harrison can even be a part of, together with British Airways Chief Industrial Officer Colm Lacy.
Pharmaceutical executives accompanying Starmer embody AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot and GSK Chair Sir Jonathan Symonds.
The go to comes as Beijing hosts a collection of overseas leaders this month amid escalating U.S. tensions with its buying and selling companions and disputes involving Greenland.
Earlier this month, Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney visited Beijing. On the primary Monday of 2026, Xi met Eire’s Prime Minister Michael Martin — the primary go to by an Irish chief in 14 years — and hosted South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung later within the day. Xi additionally met Tuesday with Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo.