By Micah Jonah
January 29, 2026
British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer landed in Beijing on Wednesday, marking the first visit by a UK leader since 2018, as China continues to expand global influence amid heightened tensions with the United States.
Since Trump’s return to the White House in January 2025, U.S.-China trade relations have remained strained. China, meanwhile, has deepened ties with countries like Canada, India, and the European Union, posting a record $1.2 trillion trade surplus in 2025 and boosting global usage of its currency, the yuan.
Starmer’s four-day trip follows Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s visit earlier this month. Both aim to strengthen trade relationships as nations seek more predictable economic partners in the face of U.S. policy uncertainty. Chinese exports to non-U.S. markets rose sharply in 2025, with shipments to Africa up 25.8%, Southeast Asia 13.4%, Latin America 7.4%, and the EU 8.4%.
China’s government has also taken steps to attract foreign investment, expanding market access in telecoms, healthcare, and education. Its foreign exchange reserves hit a ten-year high of $3.36 trillion, while the Shanghai stock index climbed 27% in the past year, outperforming U.S. equities. More than half of China’s cross-border transactions are now settled in yuan, signaling its growing role in global finance.
Despite the positive economic signals, some experts caution that countries engaging China remain wary of potential economic coercion and unresolved territorial disputes. Still, analysts say Beijing’s strategic positioning as a “stable partner” offers an alternative to the unpredictability of U.S. trade policy.
