Starmer and Xi discussed tariffs, travel and migration

UK and China make progress on trade and migration, with Starmer highlighting whisky tariff reductions, visa-free travel, and cooperation on small-boat migration.

Andrew MacAskill and Muvija M/Reuters

January 29, 2026

Starmer and Xi discussed tariffs, travel and migration

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer greets Chinese President Xi Jinping ahead of a bilateral meeting during his visit to China, in Beijing, China, January 29, 2026.

Carl Court/Reuters

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he and Chinese President Xi Jinping had made good progress on tariffs, travel and small-boat migration in a meeting on Thursday that put their relationship in a "strong place".

"We made some really good progress on tariffs for whisky, on visa-free travel to China, and on information exchange co-operation on irregular migration," Starmer told reporters in Beijing after an 80-minute summit with the Chinese leader.

The pair discussed how much whisky tariffs would be reduced and over what timeframe, as well as discussing information on the small boats used in irregular migration into Britain as part of a greater strategic focus on security and defence.

Starmer also said the move to lower whisky tariffs was an example of how he wanted "a much wider opening" for British businesses in China, part of the aim of his trip as he seeks to inject growth into the UK's sluggish economy.

Asked whether the pair had discussed Jimmy Lai, the former Hong Kong media tycoon and British citizen who was convicted in December of national security crimes, Starmer said they had held a "respectful" discussion about that.

-Andrew MacAskill and Muvija M/Reuters