Starmer insists ‘world safer when leaders talk’ as he defends China discussions

Sir Keir Starmer has defended holding talks with China’s president Xi Jinping, telling MPs: “The satellite is safer erstwhile leaders talk.”

The Prime Minister said the 2 had a “frank, constructive, pragmatic discussion” successful the margins of the G20 acme successful Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The talks came a time earlier China jailed 45 pro-democracy activists successful Hong Kong, which the UK aboriginal criticised, and arsenic MPs renewed calls for Hong Kong businessman and British nationalist Jimmy Lai to beryllium released from prison.

Making a Commons connection connected the G20 and Cop29 summits, Sir Keir said of the discussions: “This was the archetypal leader-level gathering betwixt the United Kingdom and China for six years.

“We had a frank, constructive, pragmatic discussion. As G20 economies and imperishable members of the Security Council, and astatine a clip of immense volatility, we some recognised the value of engagement.

“I was wide that we volition ever enactment successful our nationalist interest, we request to enactment unneurotic connected challenges similar clime alteration and delivering growth, we agreed a caller dialog connected these issues, which the Chancellor (Rachel Reeves) volition instrumentality guardant with vice-premier He successful Beijing.

“Of people determination volition proceed to beryllium areas wherever we don’t hold and we volition code them intelligibly and frankly.

“That includes a fig of issues connected quality rights, the sanctioning of members of this House and of people Hong Kong.

“But present excessively we request to engage. The acquisition of past is that we’re amended capable to woody with problems and the satellite is safer erstwhile leaders talk.

“So we agreed to support this transmission of communications open.”