John N M Mclean OBE, chair of the China UK Business Development Centre Photo: Courtesy of John N M Mclean OBE

The British prime minister's visit to China will be strongly welcomed by the United Kingdom (UK) business community and is widely seen as an important signal that China-UK relations are entering a new stage, John N M Mclean OBE, chair of the China UK Business Development Centre, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

A key moment will be the meeting between the Prime Minister and China's top leader, sending a strong message to global markets that the UK-China business partnership has been refreshed and relaunched in 2026, Mclean told the Global Times.

The comments came amid news that, at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will pay an official visit to China from Wednesday through Saturday (January 28 to 31), a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced Tuesday, according to Xinhua News Agency.

Over the past 18 months [since Starmer became prime minister], the UK-China relationship has gathered renewed momentum, and the Prime Minister's visit will be seen as a clear, visible signal that bilateral cooperation has entered a new phase—defined by openness, dialogue and renewed confidence in working together, Mclean told the Global Times.

With the UK's Modern Industrial Strategy and China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) now in place, both countries have laid out clear economic roadmaps that are "complementary" and provide direction and certainty for deeper engagement, Mclean said, adding that he expects the visit to underscore that "the conditions are now aligned for the UK and China to move forward constructively."

Before coming to China, the British Prime Minister has said in an interview with the Bloomberg that "we've got very close relations with the US — of course, we want to — and we will maintain that business, alongside security and defense," Starmer said, arguing Britain could enjoy the best of both worlds. "Equally, just sticking your head in the sand and ignoring China, when it's the second-biggest economy in the world and there are business opportunities wouldn't be sensible," he said, according to the report on Tuesday.

Starmer also said he is clearly prioritizing the economic relationship among other issues during this visit, according to Bloomberg.

"I remain optimistic about the prospects for UK-China economic and trade cooperation, even amid a complex geopolitical environment," Mclean said. For both of the two countries, pragmatism will be central to the relationship, grounded in shared interests such as climate action, multilateral cooperation, global stability, people-to-people exchanges, trade & investment and sustained dialogue, he said.

The UK leader's visit is aimed at identifying entry points to improve the environment and market expectations for China-UK economic and trade cooperation. China's vast market and commitment to multilateral trade rules, alongside the UK's long-standing support for the multilateral system, provide a solid foundation for deepening bilateral cooperation, Jian Junbo, director of the Center for China-Europe Relations at Fudan University's Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

McLean said the business opportunities for the two countries are vast and span a wide range of sectors, including financial and professional services, renewable energy, electronics, advanced manufacturing, healthcare and life sciences, retail and consumer brands, creative industries, education, robotics and biotechnology, noting that business leaders and entrepreneurs on both sides will find no shortage of areas for deeper trade cooperation.

China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) will sign documents on trade and investment cooperation with the UK, aiming to create new growth points for China-UK economic and trade cooperation, a MOFCOM spokesperson said on Tuesday, in responding to economic and trade activity arrangement as well as potential achievements during the UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer's upcoming visit to China, the first visit by a UK prime minister in eight years.

In 2025, China-UK bilateral trade in goods reached $103.7 billion, with trade in services expected to exceed $30 billion and two-way investment stock reaching nearly $68 billion, according to the spokesperson.

Starmer will be accompanied by over 50 executives from major British companies in sectors like finance, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, culture and creative industry, which fully underlines the British side's earnest expectations for deepening bilateral economic and trade ties with China, the spokesperson said.

Chinese and British enterprises are active to participate, with over 100 enterprise representatives having registered so far. During the visit, the MOFCOM plans to sign documents on trade and investment cooperation with the UK side, striving to create new growth points for China-UK economic and trade cooperation, the spokesperson said.