British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stands in Downing Street in London, England, on January 27, 2026.
Jack Taylor | Getty Images News | Getty Images
BEIJING – Around 60 British businesses and cultural organizations will be participating in British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s first state visit to China this week, his first state visit in eight years.
Starmer will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang on Thursday to discuss trade, investment and national security, Britain’s official statement said.
The group includes financial industry leaders including HSBC Group Chairman Brendan Nelson and Aberdeen Group CEO Jason Windsor.
John Harrison, general counsel at aircraft giant Airbus, and Colm Lacey, chief commercial officer at British Airways, will also be joining.
Pharmaceutical executives accompanying Starmer include AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot and GSK chairman Sir Jonathan Symonds.
The visit comes as Beijing hosts a series of foreign leaders this month amid escalating tensions between the United States and its trading partners and the dispute over Greenland.
Earlier this month, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney visited Beijing. On the first Monday of 2026, Mr. Xi met with Irish Prime Minister Michael Martin, the first such visit by an Irish leader in 14 years, and later that day hosted South Korean President Lee Jae-myung. President Xi also met with Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo on Tuesday.
