Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on January 29, 2026
2 min readLast updated: January 29, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleStarmer and Xi Jinping discussed whisky tariffs, visa-free travel, and migration, aiming to strengthen UK-China relations.
BEIJING, Jan 29 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he and Chinese President Xi Jinping had made good progress on tariffs, travel and small-boat migration in a meeting on Thursday that put their relationship in a "strong place".
"We made some really good progress on tariffs for whisky, on visa-free travel to China, and on information exchange co-operation on irregular migration," Starmer told reporters in Beijing after an 80-minute summit with the Chinese leader.
The pair discussed how much whisky tariffs would be reduced and over what timeframe, as well as discussing information on the small boats used in irregular migration into Britain as part of a greater strategic focus on security and defence.
Starmer also said the move to lower whisky tariffs was an example of how he wanted "a much wider opening" for British businesses in China, part of the aim of his trip as he seeks to inject growth into the UK's sluggish economy.
Asked whether the pair had discussed Jimmy Lai, the former Hong Kong media tycoon and British citizen who was convicted in December of national security crimes, Starmer said they had held a "respectful" discussion about that.
(Reporting by Andrew MacAskill in Beijing and Muvija M in London, writing by Sarah Young; Editing by Kate Holton)
Irregular migration refers to the movement of people that occurs outside the regulatory norms of the sending, transit, and receiving countries.
Visa-free travel allows individuals to enter a country without needing a visa, typically for short stays, enhancing tourism and business opportunities.
Economic growth is the increase in the production of goods and services in an economy over a period, often measured by GDP.
Foreign investment refers to the investment made by individuals or entities in one country into assets or businesses in another country.
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