STORY: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer met China's President Xi Jinping on Thursday (January 29) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, for talks to deepen their economic relationship, signalling a breakthrough in ties after years of distrust and acrimony.

Thursday marked the most important day of Starmer's four-day visit to China as he met with Xi before a planned lunch.

Starmer, whose center-left Labour Party government has struggled to deliver the economic growth it promised, has made improving relations with China one of his priorities in the hope it can yield business opportunities.

The visit to China, the first by a British prime minister since 2018, comes amid tension between Britain and its longstanding close ally the United States over President Donald Trump's recent remarks, including threats to take control of Greenland.

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VIDEO SHOWS: CHINESE PRESIDENT, XI JINPING, HOLDING BILATERAL MEETING WITH BRITISH PRIME MINISTER, KEIR STARMER, AT GREAT HALL OF THE PEOPLE

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: BEIJING, CHINA (JANUARY 29, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. CHINESE PRESIDENT, XI JINPING, HOLDING BILATERAL MEETING WITH BRITISH PRIME MINISTER, KEIR STARMER

2. VARIOUS OF XI SPEAKING FLANKED BY CHINESE OFFICIALS INCLUDING FOREIGN MINISTER, WANG YI

3. STARMER LISTENING

4. XI SPEAKING

5. VARIOUS OF STARMER LISTENING

6. CHINESE AND BRITISH FLAGS ON DISPLAY

7. MEETING IN PROGRESS

8. STARMER SPEAKING

9. XI LISTENING

10. STARMER SPEAKING, OTHER OFFICIALS SEATED

11. XI LISTENING, OTHER OFFICIALS SEATED

12. STARMER SPEAKING, OTHER OFFICIALS SEATED

13. XI LISTENING, OTHER OFFICIALS SEATED

14. MEETING IN PROGRESS