Starmer lands in Rio to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at G20 summit

He volition beryllium the archetypal British premier curate to conscionable the Chinese person successful much than fractional a decennary erstwhile they clasp talks successful Rio de Janeiro connected Monday and has pledged to person “serious, pragmatic discussions” erstwhile they speak.

The Xi gathering volition beryllium 1 successful a bid of discussions the Prime Minister is expected to person with satellite leaders astatine the two-day summit, with conflicts successful Ukraine and the Middle East apt to beryllium precocious connected the agenda.

Reports that US President Joe Biden has fixed the greenish airy for Ukraine to usage US-supplied long-range missiles to onslaught wrong Russia emerged connected Sunday evening up of the acme getting underway.

Speaking to reporters en way to the acme connected Sunday, Sir Keir said: “I americium readying to person a bilateral with President Xi astatine the G20. I deliberation that’s important.

“We are some planetary players, planetary powers, some imperishable members of the Security Council and of the G20.

“China’s system is evidently the 2nd biggest successful the world. It’s 1 of our biggest trading partners and truthful I volition beryllium having superior pragmatic discussions with the president erstwhile I conscionable him.”

Trade could beryllium 1 of the issues that travel up for treatment amid interest implicit US President-elect Donald Trump’s threats to enforce tariffs connected imports.

Sir Keir volition beryllium the archetypal UK premier curate to conscionable the Chinese premier since Theresa May successful 2018.

Asked if helium wanted a amended narration with Beijing than erstwhile governments, Sir Keir added: “Given the size of the system it is precise important that we person a pragmatic and superior narration and that’s what I mean to pursue.”

Foreign Secretary David Lammy visited China successful October and pledged that the Government would bring “consistency” to the UK’s relations with the country.

He said that determination had not been “sufficient contact” betwixt London and Beijing nether his predecessors, peculiarly connected quality rights issues.

Sir Keir arrived successful Rio successful the aboriginal hours of Monday greeting UK clip and was greeted by the British ambassador to Brazil Stephanie Al-Qaq.

It is thought that during the acme helium volition telephone connected leaders to spell further and faster successful their enactment for Ukraine and pass of “unfathomable consequences” if Putin succeeds.

While Sir Keir was successful the aerial connected his mode to the summit, AP reported that President Biden has authorised Ukraine’s usage of US-supplied long-range missiles to onslaught wrong Russia for the archetypal time.

The determination marks a large argumentation displacement arsenic helium is astir to permission bureau and comes up of the 1,000-day people since Russia’s penetration of Ukraine connected Tuesday.

The two-day acme is the archetypal sojourn to Brazil by a UK premier curate for 12 years and it is thought that Sir Keir volition absorption connected conversations that could assistance summation economical maturation and information astatine location and abroad.

In a connection up of the summit, the Prime Minister said: “It is successful the UK’s champion interests to prosecute connected the planetary signifier – whether that’s gathering beardown and fruitful partnerships with our closest allies oregon being frank with those whose values disagree from our own.

“Close practice with the world’s starring economies is captious to unafraid concern into the UK and make the jobs needed to catalyse growth.

“As we people 1,000 days since Putin’s amerciable penetration of Ukraine, I volition beryllium doing each I tin to bolster Ukraine arsenic they proceed to bravely support their sovereignty.

“Under my leadership, the UK volition beryllium a liable histrion astatine a clip of expanding volatility successful the world, portion ensuring our diplomacy delivers for radical astatine home.”

World leaders attending the acme this week see President Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron.