Overview
- After a roughly three‑hour meeting with Xi Jinping, Downing Street touted £2.2 billion in export deals, about £2.3 billion in market‑access wins over five years, and new investments.
- China agreed to cut tariffs on British whisky to 5 percent and to lift sanctions on six UK parliamentarians.
- The UK announced visa‑free short stays for British visitors to China, while Beijing said it is actively considering the step and has not set a start date.
- In Tokyo, Keir Starmer and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi agreed to deepen defence and economic‑security cooperation, with plans for a foreign and defence ministers’ meeting and work to strengthen supply chains.
- Starmer’s outreach drew domestic criticism and a public warning from President Trump, even as companies including Pop Mart and Chery outlined UK‑focused expansions linked to the visit.