Chinese President Xi Takes Swipe At Tories And Trump In Talks With Keir Starmer
Chinese president Xi Jinping has appeared to make a dig at both Donald Trump and the Tories as he held talks with Keir Starmer in Beijing.
The prime minister’s visit to China is the first by a UK leader in eight years after relations between the two countries went into the deep freeze under the Conservatives.
Starmer has been accused of trying to cosy up to the Chinese government despite fears the communist country is mounting large-scale espionage against the UK.
President Xi told him: “Your visit this time has drawn a lot of attention.
“Sometimes good things take time. As long as it is the right thing that serves the fundamental interests of the country and the people, then as leaders we should not shy away from difficulties and we should press ahead fortitude.”
In an apparent dig at the global turmoil caused by Trump’s return to the White House, which has seen him try to annex Greenland and attack America’s Nato allies, Xi said the world was “turbulent and fluid”.
He said dialogue between the UK and China was “imperative”, whether it was “for the sake of world peace and stability or for our two countries’ economies and peoples”.
Attacking the Tories, he added: “In the past, Labour governments made important contributions to the growth of China-UK relations.
“China stands ready to develop with the UK a long-term and consistent strategic partnership. It will benefit our two peoples.”
Starmer said it had been “too long” since a British prime minister had visited China, and that he wanted both countries to have a “more sophisticated” relationship.
He said: “It is with the British people in mind that I am here today.
“I made the promise 18 months ago when we were elected into government that I would make Britain face outwards again.
“Because as we all know, events abroad affect everything that happens back in our home countries, to prices on the supermarket shelves to how secure we feel.”