Honest talks needed, Starmer tells Chinese leader

Sir Keir Starmer has told China's President Xi Jinping he hopes they can have "open, frank and honest" talks about areas of disagreement, in the first official call between the two.

The call was also the first between Mr Xi and a British prime minister since he spoke to Boris Johnson in March 2022.

The two leaders discussed potential areas of co-operation, including on trade, the economy and education, a No 10 spokesperson said.

"As permanent members of the UN Security Council, the leaders agreed on the importance of close working in areas, such as climate change and global security," they added.

"The leaders also agreed on the need for a stable and consistent UK-China relationship, including dialogue between their respective foreign and domestic ministers."

China's embassy in the UK said President Xi congratulated Sir Keir on taking office, and said the two countries needed to "view their relations from a long-term and strategic perspective".

In a statement, it added: "China is committed to building a great country and achieving national rejuvenation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernisation, and follows a path of peaceful development.

"It is hoped that the UK will view China in an objective and rational manner."

Foreign Secretary David Lammy met Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines of an Association of Southeast Asian Nations gathering in Laos last month.

He urged China to stop its companies supporting Russia's war effort, and stressed the UK's "ironclad" commitment to backing Ukraine.

Sir Keir's conversation with Mr Xi comes amid a period of strained relations between London and Beijing over espionage allegations and China's tightening control over former UK colony Hong Kong.

However, the two countries remain major trading partners as well as permanent members of the UN Security Council.

China was Britain's fifth largest trading partner in 2023, according to UK statistics, but diplomatic relations were icy under former PM Rishi Sunak.

Soon after taking office in October 2022, Mr Sunak declared an end to the so-called "golden era" of UK-China relations trumpeted by former Prime Minister David Cameron.

He also described China as a "systemic challenge" to UK values.

In 2021, China imposed sanctions on nine UK citizens, including five Conservative MPs.

In 2023, the UK Parliament banned TikTok, the Chinese-owned social media app, from being accessed on its wi-fi over security concerns. TikTok has denied claims it passes on users' data to the Chinese government.

In April, UK police charged two men under the Official Secrets Act with spying for China.