Starmer completes China visit with Shanghai Party Secretary meeting

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer was in Shanghai in his bid to boost business opportunities for British companies in the world's second-largest economy.

A flute welcome under the rain for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Shanghai's historic Yuyuan Park.

Following a meeting with President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Wednesday, Starmer arrived at China's financial centre Shanghai.

At the park, he visited a shop selling delicacies, and he met student designers from the Shanghai International College of Fashion and Innovation, a joint institute between Shanghai's Donghua University and the University of Edinburgh.

A London bus lantern. And a cat with a union flag bowtie.

On Saturday, he met Chen Jining, the Shanghai Party Secretary, accompanied by a large contingent of leaders from British businesses hoping to tap into China's vast markets.

"As you rightly say this is the first visit by a British Prime Minister to China in eight long years," said Starmer. "And I am very proud and pleased to be the prime minister that is here leading a delegation for this visit.

"And as you can see I'm travelling with a large delegation of some of the top and best businesses in the United Kingdom, some of our best cultural organisations and institutions in art, in museums, in sport, and so much more, travelling with us.

"And that signals just how important a moment, we, the UK, see this reset of the relationship with China."

The day before, Starmer attended a China-UK business event featuring British brands such as Burberry, Brompton Bikes and Jellycat, at The West Bund Orbit, a newly completed exhibition centre in Shanghai's Xuhui District designed by British firm Heatherwick Studio.

Starmer said that increased engagement between China and the UK will build trust and create more opportunities for both countries.

Starmer's next stop is Japan.