Starmer vows to raise issues ‘that need to be raised’ with Xi amid push to free Jimmy Lai

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Keir Starmer has announced that he will raise human rights issues with Chinese leader Xi Jinping during his visit to Beijing, amid pressure from rights groups to secure the release of Jimmy Lai, a jailed former media tycoon and pro-democracy activist. Lai faces spending the rest of his life in prison after being convicted by a Hong Kong court on national security offences deemed politically motivated. Starmer's visit comes eight years after a UK leader last visited China, and he plans to discuss issues where they disagree, including human rights abuses. The prime minister will also raise concerns about the treatment of the Uyghurs, a persecuted Muslim minority in China. Human rights groups have urged Starmer to publicly press Xi for Lai's release and speak out against Hong Kong's erosion of freedoms. The visit is seen as an opportunity for Starmer to engage with China on human rights issues.
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