By Micah Jonah
January 22, 2026
China has signalled its readiness to work with the United Kingdom on the basis of mutual respect to boost economic relations, foster a favourable business environment.
The announcement was made by the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Thursday, January 22, 2026.
In a statement to Reuters, the ministry said strengthening China-UK economic, trade cooperation benefits both countries, contributes stability and certainty to the global economy.
The comments follow reports that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer plans to visit Beijing next week, aiming to revive a so-called “golden era” of business dialogue. The trip would mark the first visit by a British leader to China since 2018.
Sources indicate that top executives from both countries are expected to participate in a revamped UK-China CEO Council, originally established in 2018 to strengthen commercial ties. However, details of the visit are still being finalized, and talks have only recently begun in earnest.
Observers suggest that recent geopolitical developments, including Donald Trump’s threats to Greenland and the UK’s recent stance on China’s mega embassy plan, could influence the final agenda of the visit.
Neither the Chinese nor British governments have officially confirmed Starmer’s trip, though the planned engagement is seen as an important step towards closer economic cooperation between London and Beijing.
