Starmer to Travel to China then Japan

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to travel to China and then to Japan on Tuesday evening, his office confirmed, marking the first official visit by a UK prime minister to Beijing since 2018.

A spokesperson for 10 Downing Street told reporters on Monday that the prime minister would depart for China and Japan on Tuesday night, according to Agence France-Presse.

The visit is expected to focus on diplomatic and economic ties, as London seeks to rebalance its relations in Asia amid shifting global trade and security dynamics.

The stop in China will be closely watched, given the sensitive state of UK China relations in recent years, while talks in Japan are likely to underline cooperation with one of Britain’s key partners in the Indo Pacific region.