UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper is on a three-day visit to Beijing as part of Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s effort to revive relations with China after what he earlier described as an “ice age” in ties. The trip follows Starmer’s January visit to meet President Xi Jinping, which laid the groundwork for deeper economic cooperation, including a $15 billion AstraZeneca investment and visa-free travel for Britons. Cooper met Chinese Vice President Han Zheng at the Great Hall of the People, calling for collaboration on global challenges such as conflicts in Iran and Ukraine and the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The visit reflects a broader Western trend of re-engagement with Beijing amid global instability and supply chain disruptions. Analysts cited the UK’s growing economic dependence on China for advanced goods and critical resources, and the need for pragmatic diplomacy given shifting US-China relations under President Donald Trump. Cooper emphasized candid dialogue to manage disagreements over security, human rights, and the Ukraine war while pursuing mutual economic benefits.

Observers noted that both nations seek a pragmatic thaw: the UK for economic growth and China to strengthen ties with Europe amid strained US relations.