US EditionUK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer arrives in Shanghai to boost UK business opportunities
Tariffs on Scotch whisky will be halved to 5%, boosting the UK economy by £250 million over five years, while visa-free travel for UK visitors under 30 days is introduced.
- On Jan. 30, 2026, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer arrived in Shanghai leading over 50 business leaders and secured deals halving Scotch whisky tariffs to 5% and waiving visas for UK citizens under 30 days.
- To bolster trade, the visit aimed to boost business for U.K. firms and improve market access in China after years of friction, starting with meetings in Beijing including President Xi Jinping.
- At the UK-China Business Forum, Starmer attended formal talks at the Bank of China, where AstraZeneca CEO Sir Pascal Soriot announced a 100 billion yuan investment by 2030.
29 Articles
29 Articles
He obtained billionaire investments in AstraZeneca and stop at tariffs on Scottish whiskey. The meeting traded in exchange for the green light at the opening of the new mega embassy in Beijing in London
Starmer says U.K. ‘can’t stick its head in the sand’ over China after Trump issues warning
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in the Chinese financial centre of Shanghai on Friday in his bid to boost business opportunities for British firms in the world’s second-largest economy, just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump signaled a possible opposition to any deal between Beijing and London.
Is Starmer Finally Realising That Relying on the ‘Special Relationship’ Is Perilous?
Sometimes, boring things are very important – like dental hygiene, tax codes, and your middle sibling. Keir Starmer’s visit to China (hot on the heels of Canada’s Mark Carney, and Germany’s Friedrich Merz) is very much of that genre. The chemistry between the prime minister and Xi Jinping is unlikely to inspire romantic fancam edits any time soon. But their pragmatic courtship perhaps signals that middle-ranking Western powers are considering t…
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 57% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
