A cross-party delegation of British lawmakers is set to visit China in mid-May for the first time since 2019. The trip is positioned as a sign of cautious warming of ties, following Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit to Beijing earlier this year, according to two sources familiar with the plans.
The five-day trip will include 12 members of the UK parliament from both the Labour and Conservative parties and is being organised by the Great Britain-China Centre, which is funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
The delegation marks the first parliamentary visit to China since 2019, reflecting tentative diplomatic engagement after years of strained relations.
The visit follows Starmer’s January meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, which both sides described as a “reset” in relations.
Ties between London and Beijing have been tense in recent years over human rights concerns, allegations of espionage, and disputes linked to Hong Kong and Xinjiang.
While parliamentary exchanges with China had stalled, UK lawmakers have continued frequent visits to Taiwan, which Beijing claims as part of its territory.
China previously imposed sanctions on several British politicians in 2021, including former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith, accusing them of spreading “disinformation” over Xinjiang.
Some of those sanctions were lifted earlier this year following Starmer’s visit to China, though restrictions remain in place on certain UK academics, lawyers and organisations.
The latest parliamentary trip comes amid ongoing disputes, including Beijing’s planned mega-embassy in London and renewed allegations of Chinese espionage activity in the UK.
The visit also follows a London court ruling this week that convicted two men of spying on behalf of Hong Kong and China, targeting pro-democracy activists based in Britain.
The case has further complicated efforts to stabilise relations, with the Chinese embassy rejecting the allegations and accusing the UK of fabricating claims.
Despite these tensions, both governments appear to be maintaining cautious diplomatic engagement through limited parliamentary and official exchanges according to analysts.
The U.S. military said it completed its latest wave of strikes on Iran, a two-hour operation that hit dozens of targets. Washington described the stri...
The Chinese fast-fashion brand Shein made its way onto Paris racks at one of the most iconic department stores, BHV....
What began as a fight against a resort project in Albania has turned into a rallying cry against the government....
French DJ and electropop musician Kavinsky, whose atmospheric sound shaped a generation of electronic music fans, has died at the age of 50, French authorities said on Tuesday.
Saudi Arabia said its overnight strikes on Iran-backed group targets in Iraq were carried out in self-defence and warned it would take further military action if the groups launched new attacks against the kingdom.
Yemen warned the Houthis were seeking to replicate Iran's Strait of Hormuz strategy in the Red Sea, as U.S. President Donald Trump said there was a "good chance" of a deal with Tehran but warned strikes could resume if talks failed.
Moscow should stop linking Russia-Armenia relations to Azerbaijan, Baku's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Aykhan Hajizada has said, after Russia again raised the Collective Security Treaty Organisation's role during the former Garabagh conflict.
A fire involving two gas vessels at Egypt's Damietta port has prompted conflicting reports over whether the incident was caused by a drone strike or an onboard technical fault. Egyptian authorities said there were no casualties.
Australia's internet regulator said on Thursday it had begun legal action against messaging platform Telegram over alleged failings to tackle pro-terror posts.
Residents across southern Japan are struggling with disrupted water and electricity supplies two days after a powerful magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 30th of July, covering the latest developments.
Russian air strikes killed at least 13 in Ukraine on Thursday, including one in Kyiv, in attacks extending as far as the western city of Lviv, forcing neighbouring Poland to scramble fighter jets to secure its airspace.
Prince Harry, Sir Elton John and five other high-profile claimants could face a legal bill of up to $46 million after losing their privacy lawsuit against the publisher of the Daily Mail, London's High Court heard on Wednesday.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment