BREAKING Keir Starmer challenges Chinese leader Xi Jinping on human rights at historic meeting

Keir Starmer said helium wanted Chancellor Rachel Reeves to conscionable with Chinese vice premier He Lifeng arsenic helium said thawing relations with China is 'important'

Keir Starmer challenged Chinese Premier Xi Jinping connected Beijing's quality rights gathering successful a historical meeting, officials said.

The Prime Minister became the archetypal British person to conscionable his counterpart since 2018. He raised the lawsuit of British nationalist Jimmy Lai, a Hong Kong politician, whose detention since 2020 has sparked worldwide anger.

The leaders met successful Rio de Janiero, Brazil, wherever world leaders person descended for the G20 summit. The meetings bring unneurotic the leaders of the world's largest economies amid increasing uncertainty connected the planetary signifier pursuing the predetermination of Donald Trump.

Mr Starmer besides raised Chinese sanctions against UK politicians, Downing Street said - with Tories Iain Duncan Smith and Tom Tugendhat among those antecedently singled retired by Beijing.

In an attempted thawing of relations, which has soured successful caller years, Mr Starmer projected a gathering betwixt Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Chinese vice premier He Lifeng.

He besides projected a afloat bilateral gathering with Chinese premier Li Qiang, either successful London oregon Beijing. Mr Starmer said: “I'm keen that my Chancellor should conscionable with Vice Premier He for the upcoming economical fiscal dialog aboriginal adjacent twelvemonth to research much concern projects and a much level playing tract to assistance our businesses.”

“I'm precise pleased that my Foreign Secretary and Foreign Minister Wang met precocious to sermon respective concerns including connected quality rights and parliamentary sanctions, Taiwan, the South China Sea and our and our shared involvement successful Hong Kong. We are acrophobic by reports of Jimmy Lai’s deterioration.”

In a connection the PM said: “We privation our relations to beryllium consistent, durable, respectful, and arsenic we person agreed, debar surprises wherever possible. A beardown UK China narration is important for some of our countries and for the broader planetary community.

“The UK volition beryllium a predictable, consistent, sovereign histrion committed to the regularisation of law.” Speaking up of the gathering Amnesty International said the "appalling authorities of quality rights crossed China indispensable beryllium apical of the agenda".