Sir Keir Starmer is visiting China to improve the UK’s economy, Harriet Harman has said.
The former Labour cabinet minister told Beth Rigby on the Electoral Dysfunction podcast that the prime minister’s trip to the world’s second-largest economy was intended to improve the financial situation of voters in the UK.
However, she said the government would remain “clear-eyed” about potential threats from Beijing.
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After meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Sir Keir confirmed UK citizens would get 30-day visa-free entry to China, and that whisky tariffs would be halved.
Ms Harman said: “The overwhelming imperative for the government is to get growth in the UK economy and for people’s living standards to improve.
“And China being the second-largest economy in the world with increasing difficulties with the US.
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“You know, it’s just, as he said, it’s the pragmatism, and when [Sir Keir] was speaking with the business delegation on camera, saying, actually, this is all about people back home.
“I think that you can see, and he’s obviously radiating out to the Chinese as well, a very clear focus on this.
“They’re not going all around the houses on this. This is about the economy.”
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Rigby pointed out that the trip could potentially open the door for the government to invite Mr Xi to visit the UK, as he did in 2015.
“[It] would be a massive deal if the UK government is prepared to allow Xi to visit, given that the Chinese government had sanctioned British parliamentarians from coming to China,” Sky’s political editor said.
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Ms Harman said: “This is about more trade, it’s about more investment.
“And obviously they’re managing all the other things like the banning of the MPs, like the security issues, like the espionage.
“So those all things have got to be managed, and that’s why they say, we’re going to be clear-eyed about this. So we are not forgetting about those problems.
“But it’s just the economy stupid, isn’t it?”
