UK says China lifts sanctions on British lawmakers after Starmer–Xi meeting

South China Morning PostCenter-RightEN 1 min read 100% complete by Finbarr BerminghamJanuary 30, 2026 at 06:17 PM

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Following a meeting between UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Chinese President Xi Jinping, China has lifted sanctions on British lawmakers and peers. The sanctions, imposed in 2021 in response to UK sanctions over alleged human rights violations in Xinjiang, had restricted travel and other activities. Starmer raised the issue during his visit to China, and Xi Jinping reportedly confirmed that all parliamentarians are now welcome to visit. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman confirmed the agreement to resume normal exchanges between the two countries' legislative bodies, aiming to strengthen understanding and mutual trust. This move facilitates personnel exchanges between the UK and China.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Shanghai 40% Guo Jiakun 40% Xinjiang 50% China’s Foreign Ministry 60% Beijing ×260% UK 80% Xi Jinping ×280% China ×490% Keir Starmer ×490%

Keywords

china-uk relations 90% sanctions lifted 80% keir starmer 70% xi jinping 70% parliamentarians 60% xinjiang 50% human rights violations 50% legislative bodies 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Positive

Score: 0.30

Source Transparency

Source

South China Morning Post

Political Lean

Center-Right (0.50)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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china-uk relations sanctions lifted keir starmer xi jinping parliamentarians xinjiang human rights violations legislative bodies

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