Airbus, AstraZeneca and HSBC executives join UK’s Starmer on high-stakes China trip

BEIJING — Nearly 60 British businesses and cultural organizations will join U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer on his trip to China this week, the first such state visit in eight years.

Starmer is due to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang on Thursday to discuss trade, investment and national security, according to an official U.K. readout that listed the business representatives accompanying the British leader.

The group includes financial industry leaders such as HSBC Group Chairman Brendan Nelson and Aberdeen Group CEO Jason Windsor.

Aircraft giant Airbus‘s general counsel John Harrison will also join, along with British Airways Chief Commercial Officer Colm Lacy.

Pharmaceutical executives accompanying Starmer include AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot and GSK Chair Sir Jonathan Symonds.

The visit comes as Beijing hosts a series of foreign leaders this month amid escalating U.S. tensions with its trading partners and disputes involving Greenland.

Earlier this month, Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney visited Beijing. On the first Monday of 2026, Xi met Ireland’s Prime Minister Michael Martin — the first visit by an Irish leader in 14 years — and hosted South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung later in the day. Xi also met Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo Tuesday.

The timing of Starmer’s trip has drawn attention. Last week, the British government approved plans to open a new sprawling Chinese Embassy in London after the proposal had stalled for years over political and security concerns.

London has sought to bolster new trade and investment ties with Beijing as U.S. President Donald Trump’s foreign policy and tariff threats have unsettled traditional allies, including the European Union and Canada.

Trump previously floated a 10% tariff on European countries that opposed his bid to acquire Greenland before backing down. He also threatened to impose 100% tariffs on Canada if Ottawa pursued a free trade deal with China.

Starmer will “push for access in areas where better co-operation with China would boost growth and deliver prosperity for the British people,” including financial services, creative industries and life sciences, the British government said in the statement.

But “he will be clear that we will not trade economic co-operation for our national security. He will raise the areas where we disagree with China,” it said, stressing the need for “frank and open dialogue.”