A cross-party delegation of British lawmakers is set to visit China later this month for the first time since 2019, signalling a gradual thaw in relations between London and Beijing following British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit to China earlier this year.
According to sources familiar with the preparations, the five-day trip in mid-May will include 12 lawmakers from both the Labour and Conservative parties. The visit is being organised by the Great Britain-China Centre, an NGO funded by the British Foreign Office that promotes dialogue and engagement with China.
Reuters could not confirm the full list of MPs or the delegation’s detailed itinerary. The sources spoke anonymously because preparations are still underway.
First Parliamentary Visit in Years
The upcoming visit marks the first British parliamentary delegation to China in six years. In contrast, British lawmakers have made several visits to Taiwan since 2022, despite strong objections from Beijing, which claims the island as its territory.
Relations between Britain and China deteriorated sharply during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, with disputes over espionage allegations, human rights concerns in Xinjiang, and political tensions surrounding Hong Kong.
In 2021, Beijing sanctioned nine British individuals, including former Conservative Party leader Iain Duncan Smith, accusing them of spreading misinformation about alleged abuses in Xinjiang.
However, China lifted sanctions on six serving British lawmakers in January after Starmer met Chinese President Xi Jinping during a visit both governments described as a “reset” in bilateral relations.
Europe-China Dialogue Also Resuming
The British delegation’s trip follows a similar visit in March by nine European lawmakers the first such exchange in eight years after China eased sanctions on some members of the European Parliament in 2025.
The renewed parliamentary exchanges suggest a cautious reopening of diplomatic engagement between China and European countries after years of strained ties.
Tensions Still Remain
Despite the warming rhetoric, several contentious issues continue to cloud relations.
Concerns over alleged Chinese espionage activities remain sensitive in Britain. This week, a London court found two men guilty of spying on behalf of Hong Kong and China by targeting pro-democracy activists living in the UK.
The accused, both dual Chinese-British nationals, denied the allegations. Meanwhile, the Chinese embassy in London accused Britain of fabricating the charges.
Another source of controversy is Beijing’s proposed mega-embassy project in London, which has drawn political and security concerns from British lawmakers and activists.
(with inputs from Reuters)
