Keir Starmer refuses to ‘choose between’ US or China ahead of Beijing visit

“I’m often invited to simply choose between countries. I don’t do that,” Sir Keir said.

The delegation will include dozens of British business leaders, with visits planned to Beijing and Shanghai.

Sir Keir argued that sidelining China altogether would be economically reckless for the country.

He said: “Just sticking your head in the sand and ignoring China, when it’s the second-biggest economy in the world and there are business opportunities, wouldn’t be sensible."

The visit comes just days after ministers approved plans for a new Chinese "super-embassy" in London.

The site’s proximity to the City of London and Canary Wharf - two of Britain's most important financial hubs - has raised fears it could be exploited by the CCP for espionage.

Sir Keir’s trip also comes following weeks of strain in transatlantic relations.

President Donald Trump had threatened tariffs against allied nations that oppose his ambitions over Greenland, while also provoking anger in Britain by suggesting Nato troops held back from the front line during the Afghanistan campaign.

Mr Trump has also warned he would impose 100 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods if Ottawa signs a trade deal with Beijing.

The tensions have created a delicate backdrop for Sir Keir’s diplomatic balancing act.

The Prime Minister has previously described a failure to engage with China as a “dereliction of duty”, pushing back against what he called “isolationism” from critics of the CCP's regime.

He said: "For years we have blown hot and cold. We had the golden age, which then flipped to an Ice Age. We reject that binary choice.”

On relations with Washington, Sir Keir insisted the "special relationship" would remain intact.

“We’ve got very close relations with the US, of course. We want to and we will maintain that - in business, alongside security and defence,” he said.

He added that the business leaders travelling with him understood the scale of the opportunities in China, while stressing national security would not be compromised.

However, former Hong Kong governor Chris Patten has issued a stark warning over the fate of jailed media tycoon Jimmy Lai.

“What will not persuade them is if it becomes the ‘oh, by the way’ issue in meetings where you only raise it at the end so you can tell the press you did it,” Lord Patten told the Press Association.

He said Sir Keir would look “pathetic” if he failed to robustly advocate for Mr Lai, a British citizen convicted in December on national security charges.

The Prime Minister has said he intends to raise human rights concerns during talks with Chinese leaders.

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