China and Britain pledged to develop a long-term strategic partnership on Thursday after Chinese President Xi Jinping and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer held a high-stakes meeting after years of tense relations.

Starmer is on a four-day visit to China, the first by a British prime minister in eight years, and marks Britain’s attempt to rebuild ties after years of distrust and acrimony.

Britain has accused China of spying in the country in the past and views it as a long-term strategic challenge. Beijing’s crackdown on pro-democracy protests in the former British colony of Hong Kong and its imposition of sweeping national security legislation in 2020 have further strained bilateral relations.

The two countries said they would expand cooperation in key areas such as education, healthcare, finance and artificial intelligence research, bioscience and new energy development, according to a statement released by Chinese state media.

Beijing will also consider opening visa-free entry to British citizens, the statement said, while urging London to create a fair and non-discriminatory environment for Chinese companies operating in the UK.

Starmer told Xi at the start of the meeting that it was “vital that we build a more complex relationship” that would allow both sides to identify areas for further cooperation and dialogue. Reuters.

According to Chinese sources, London will maintain close high-level communication with Beijing and deepen trade and investment partnerships.

Starmer’s trip comes as U.S. President Donald Trump’s foreign policy and tariff threats unsettle traditional allies and as Beijing hosts several Western leaders this month, including Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Irish Prime Minister Michael Martin – Irish leader’s first visit to China in 14 years — and Finnish Prime Minister Petri Orpo.

On Wednesday, Starmer called on the dozens of British business leaders traveling with him to seize opportunities in the world’s second-largest economy.

In a statement on Wednesday, the British government said it would seek a “Strategic and consistent relationship” Seek to strengthen new investment and trade ties with Beijing while remaining vigilant about potential security threats.

Last week, the British government approved plans to open a massive new Chinese embassy in London, after the proposal was stalled for years due to political and security concerns.

Starmer’s diplomatic shift appears to be similar to that of Canada, which signed a trade deal with China earlier this month following Carney’s visit, as Ottawa appears to be diversifying its trade and investment partners amid ongoing friction with Washington.

The British Chamber of Commerce in China stated that British companies in China have faced a deterioration in the business environment for the past six consecutive years.

The agency said in a December report that nearly 60% of more than 300 British companies surveyed said it was more difficult to do business in the country than a year ago. “The overall business landscape remains complex and often difficult to predict,” the report noted, citing economic slowdowns, regulatory pressures and geopolitical risks.

But the report said there are currently no strong signs of a full-scale shift away from the Chinese market, and many companies still view China as a key market, although they appear to be more cautious about expansion plans.

British government data shows that the UK’s trade deficit with China surged by more than 18% year-on-year in the 12 months to June 2025, reaching 42 billion pounds ($58.1 billion).

—CNBC’s Evelyn Cheng contributed to this report.