Starmer is the latest western leader to visit China, and his trip comes amid tensions between Britain and its longstanding closest ally - the United States - over President Donald Trump's threats to take control of Greenland.

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On a three-day visit accompanied by dozens of business executives and two ministers, Starmer will meet with Chinese leaders in Beijing and then travel to Shanghai, before a brief visit to Japan.

At the forefront of the visit "will be what both sides make of the current behaviour and posture of the U.S. and Trump," said Kerry Brown, professor of Chinese studies at King's College London. "One of the great anomalies of the current situation is that London is probably closer to Beijing than Washington" on some global issues like AI, public health and the environment.

Since being elected in 2024, Starmer has made it one of his priorities to reset ties with China following a deterioration in relations under previous governments because of rows over Beijing's crackdown on pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, a former British colony, and multiple allegations of espionage and cyberattacks.