Sir Keir Starmer met with China’s foreign affairs minister as he visited London, Downing Street has said.
The Prime Minister briefly attended a meeting between national security adviser Jonathan Powell and Wang Yi, who is in the UK ahead of the Munich Security Conference.
David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, welcomed his counterpart to London on Thursday as the Government seeks a warmer relationship with Beijing in order to drive investment into the UK.
A No 10 spokesperson said Sir Keir had “dropped in” to the meeting and “underlined his intention to build a consistent and respectful relationship between the UK and China”.
The Prime Minister “reiterated that the UK will always engage frankly on the areas where our views differ as part of the stable and regular engagement this Government is committed to maintaining with China”, No 10 said.
Sir Keir is understood to have raised the UK’s ongoing concerns about human rights in China, during his brief appearance at the meeting.
As Mr Lammy welcomed his counterpart to the Foreign Office, he said the UK and China’s relationship should be “consistent, strategic and in both of our countries’ long-term interests”.
But the Foreign Secretary also addressed British concerns about China, adding: “We will also discuss issues where the UK and China do not always see eye-to-eye. In some cases the UK does have significant concerns.
“It is important that we use channels such as this for robust but constructive discussions, as we are both members of the UN Security Council.
“We will be better able to understand each other and each other’s perspectives.”
Mr Lammy later wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that the UK continues to challenge China, adding: “From Jimmy Lai’s imprisonment, to human rights, Hong Kong, unwarranted sanctions on UK parliamentarians and more.”
The Government has been warned in recent months of the security risks posed by the Chinese state as ministers seek to strengthen trade ties.
The Ministry of Defence is said to be among the Government departments which have warned of the risks of allowing a Beijing-based firm to participate in building the Green Volt North Sea wind farm, according to The Sun newspaper.
Ministers are also being pressured to not allow a new Chinese embassy to be built near the Tower of London, amid concerns it could be used for spying purposes.
Human rights groups have urged ministers to keep up the pressure on Beijing over a crackdown on civil liberties in Hong Kong and the reported abuse of the Uighur Muslim minority in the north-west Xinjiang province.
Amnesty International UK’s head of campaigns, Felix Jakens, said the “pursuit of trade must not inhibit frank conversations on human rights” ahead of Mr Wang’s visit.
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden, who has been dubbed the “real deputy prime minister” because of his influence within Government, is understood to have spoken about the Government’s Plan for Change when he joined talks at the Foreign Office.
The Government document includes its pledge to stimulate growth in the UK economy, part of which would come from foreign investment.
