During his visit to China, UK Prime Minister Starmer revealed in an interview in Shanghai on the 30th that following talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, China has lifted sanctions on six current British lawmakers, including four Conservative Members of the House of Commons and two Members of the House of Lords. The related travel bans and restrictions are no longer in effect.
The BBC cited sources from Downing Street saying that the UK regards China’s removal of the sanctions as one of the major diplomatic achievements of Starmer’s trip, calling it a “significant victory” from the visit. Starmer also noted that the result demonstrates the correctness of his approach of maintaining engagement rather than total confrontation with China, and expressed hope that Xi Jinping could visit the UK when the country hosts the G20 summit in 2027.
In 2021, due to issues such as human rights, China imposed sanctions on several British politicians, including leading Conservative figures, Members of Parliament, and Members of the House of Lords. Those affected were banned from entering China, Hong Kong, and Macau, had any assets in China frozen, and Chinese citizens and organizations were prohibited from conducting any business with them.
In a BBC exclusive interview in Shanghai, Starmer stated that all restrictive measures against these British lawmakers have now been lifted, describing this as a substantial step toward improving bilateral relations and a move that would help “reopen the door” for future UK-China cooperation in diplomatic, economic, and multilateral contexts.