Starmer in China: engagement is necessary, caution is vitalTHE GUARDIAN EDITORIALIt has been clear for many years that China’s status as a second global superpower poses challenges to the world’s democracies. This is an ominous backdrop for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit to Beijing. CAUTION with REASONConservatives who accuse Starmer of kowtowing to Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) are quicker to enumerate all the things they dislike about Chinese Communist party rule than to describe a better alternative policy to cautious engagement. Starmer has pledged to “raise what needs to be raised” with Xi — a standard diplomatic euphemism allowing for cursory mention of delicate topics. That is not a reason to refuse engagement, but it might take more than pre-summit assurances from the prime minister to prove that he can get the balance right.

Source: Taipei Times February 01, 2026 18:12 UTC