Opinion | With China visit, Starmer makes clear he’s putting Britain first

The prime minister’s visit to China is a declaration that the UK will no longer be a simple passenger in a contest defined in Washington and Beijing

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Published: 8:30pm, 28 Jan 2026

“I’m often invited to simply choose between countries. I don’t do that,” UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday ahead of his China trip. The visit – after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Beijing trip drew US tariff threats – is an attempt to drag British foreign policy into alignment with 21st century realities: a world of strategic rivalry but deep economic interdependence.

Starmer’s remarks are not diplomatic wordplay, but a declaration the United Kingdom will no longer be a simple passenger in a contest defined in Washington and Beijing.

For most of the post-Cold War era, British foreign policy treated alignment with the United States as a principle, its China policy largely influenced by Washington’s choices. When the US leaned into engagement with Beijing, London talked up a “golden era”; when Washington pivoted to rivalry, the UK banned Huawei Technologies from 5G networks, toughened investment screenings and spoke of “de-risking”.

Starmer’s message that Britain will not be forced to choose is in effect an admission this model has reached its limits. Heading to China is his way of signalling a new posture: the UK as a balancer, not just a loyal follower.

“We’ve got very close relations with the US – of course, we want to – and we will maintain that business, alongside security and defence,” Starmer said. “Equally, just sticking your head in the sand and ignoring China when it’s the second-biggest economy in the world and there are business opportunities wouldn’t be sensible.”

Clearly, the UK wants to stay firmly inside the US security camp while reopening economic and political channels with Beijing. This means trying to separate where it automatically follows Washington from areas it demands room for manoeuvre.

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.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The prime minister’s visit to China is a declaration that the UK will no longer be a simple passenger in a contest defined in Washington and Beijing

The prime minister’s visit to China is a declaration that the UK will no longer be a simple passenger in a contest defined in Washington and Beijing