British Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited Shanghai, exploring the Yuyuan Lantern Festival, tasting local tea, and engaging in cultural exchange during his trip to China.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer paid an official visit to China from January 28th to 31st at the invitation of the Chinese government.
On January 30th, Starmer and his delegation travelled to Shanghai, where the visit coincided with the lighting of the Yuyuan Lantern Festival. Despite rainy weather, Starmer toured the lantern fair, explored the classical gardens, sampled Chinese tea, and purchased local pastries, including the traditional butterfly-shaped pastry.
Meeting Larry the Cat: A Cultural Moment in Shanghai
At the Huxinting Teahouse in Yuyuan Garden, a lantern art installation attracted attention. Designed by students from Donghua University, the installation blended Chinese and British cultural elements. It featured London’s red double-decker buses and a cartoon image of Larry the Cat, the “Chief Mouser” at 10 Downing Street. Starmer praised the design and joked that he would like to take the Larry Cat lantern back to the UK.
Later that evening, Starmer attended a China–UK reception in Shanghai. He said the momentum of bilateral relations comes not only from trade and investment, but also from deeper cultural exchange.
On January 31st, Starmer also visited the Design Innovation Institute Shanghai (DIIS ), where he met British musical theatre performers and learned about the musical Matilda’s China tour.
Agreements and Dialogue: Strengthening China–UK Ties
Beyond the lanterns and gardens, Starmer’s visit also focused on policy and cooperation between the two countries. On the same day, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs briefed the media on the outcomes of the visit. A spokesperson described the trip as productive and said it reflected the breadth and depth of China–UK cooperation.
According to the spokesperson, the two sides agreed to establish a high-level China-UK climate and nature partnership and resume the China-UK high-level security dialogue. They also plan to hold a new round of institutional dialogue, including strategic dialogue, economic and financial dialogue, and the meeting of the China-UK Joint Economic and Trade Commission within the year.
China announced it will reduce the import tariff on the UK’s whisky from 10 per cent to 5 per cent. Both sides said they support stronger people-to-people exchanges and more convenient cross-border travel to improve mutual understanding and trust. They also reached a principled agreement to resume normal exchanges between the two countries’ legislative bodies. Besides, China expressed its willingness to actively consider implementing a unilateral visa-free policy for UK citizens.
During the visit, leaders witnessed the signing of 12 intergovernmental cooperation documents covering trade and the economy, agriculture and food, culture, market regulation, and law enforcement cooperation.
Taken together, the visit combined high-level dialogue with visible cultural engagement, as both sides signalled an intention to maintain communication and expand practical cooperation across economic, security, and people-to-people fields.
Additional reporting by CNS, Chinadaily.
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