British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his entourage were spotted dining at a Yunnan cuisine restaurant in Beijing during his China visit on January 28. Photo: Screenshot from Weibo

Photos and videos featuring British Prime Minister Keir Starmer dining at a Yunnan cuisine restaurant in Sanlitun area of Beijing on Wednesday evening, after his arrival for an official visit to China, quickly drew attention from Chinese netizens on social media platforms, as many netizens and foreign media noted the restaurant was previously visited by former US treasury secretary Janet Yellen.

Starmer was seen at this restaurant known for its mushroom-based dishes and other specialties from Yunnan Province of Southwest China whose regional cuisine has gained popularity nationwide. The restaurant, very close to embassy district, received former US treasury secretary Janet Yellen during her China visit from July 6 to 9 in 2023, according to Sputnik News.

A food blogger posted about Starmer's restaurant visit on Weibo, China's popular microblogging platform, on Wednesday evening. 

"The first meal of British Prime Minister Starmer after he arrived in Beijing," the post read. "He chose the 'Celebrating the New Year in Advance' set menu."

Some Chinese netizens later noticed that the restaurant had updated its profile picture on a food rating and delivery platform with a group photo featuring Starmer and the restaurant staff.

According to a video released by the restaurant on its social media account, a staff member presented Starmer with a traditional Chinese New Year woodblock print symbolizing prosperity and success in the Year of the Horse after the meal. The staff member thanked him in English, and Starmer responded in Chinese by saying "xie xie" (thank you). He then turned to those around him to confirm whether his pronunciation was correct.

The video went viral online, sparking widespread discussion. Some netizens said that the restaurant was now a must-visit destination, while others wondered why more foreign visitors appear adept at using chopsticks. Still others compared Starmer's restaurant scene to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, who recently dined at another Yunnan restaurant during a visit to Beijing.

Some netizens recalled that former US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen had previously visited the same restaurant and ordered multiple servings of jian shou qing, a wild mushroom that CNN once described as "an unusual yet highly sought-after delicacy prized for its unique properties."

Some Chinese netizens said that the episode once again highlighted Yunnan cuisine as one of the most popular Chinese regional cuisines among foreign visitors.

"Choosing Chinese food first—cultural exchange comes before everything else," another netizen wrote.

Accompanied by around 60 British business and cultural leaders, Starmer arrived in Beijing on Wednesday for an official visit to China, which runs through Saturday.


Global Times