Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Pippa Crerar in Beijing

Starmer hopes his China trip will begin the thaw after recent ice age

Keir Starmer in a throng of officials in coats with umbrellas in an alley amid traditional Chinese tea-house buildings
Keir Starmer visiting the Huxinting tea house in Shanghai’s Yu Yaun Gardens during his China trip. Photograph: Simon Dawson/No 10 Downing Street

The last British prime minister to visit China was Theresa May in 2018. Before the visit, she and her team were advised to get dressed under the covers because of the risk of hidden cameras having been placed in their hotel rooms to record compromising material.

Keir Starmer, in Beijing this week, was more sanguine about his privacy, even though the security risks have, if anything, increased since the former Tory prime minister was in town.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.