Podcast

Should Britain trust China?

Tuesday 27 January 2026 17:38, UK

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Sir Keir Starmer is heading to China for what will be the first visit by a British prime minister since Theresa May in 2018.

He'll be accompanied by a plane full of business leaders as he hopes to improve the UK's trade and economic relations with China.

But the UK already has a huge trade deficit with China - so what might the prime minister get in return?

The visit also takes place against the backdrop of his approval of the new Chinese "mega" embassy in London and allegations of Chinese spying.

To discuss the security concerns and how close a relationship the UK should have with the Chinese, Niall is joined from Beijing by The Times's China correspondent Richard Spencer.

Editor: Wendy Parker

Producer: Tom Gillespie

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