Labour win could shift China policy

The UK’s new Labour government could lead a shift in the country’s stance toward China. Relations have deteriorated in recent years, and new Prime Minister Keir Starmer has promised a “full audit” of London’s China policy. Labour’s government could offer a diplomatic reset of sorts, but a major policy shift is unlikely in the short term, analysts said.

Starmer should take a “tough but low-key approach,” a Foreign Policy columnist argued, finding areas of cooperation, like AI and climate, while increasing diplomatic ties to make it easier to criticize Beijing when needed. Aiming for “stability” isn’t realistic, as “relations with China are likely to remain inherently unstable.”