Airbus, AstraZeneca and HSBC executives join UK’s Starmer on high-stakes China trip

BEIJING — Nearly 60 British businesses and cultural organizations will join U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer on his trip to China this week, the first such state visit in eight years.

Starmer is due to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang on Thursday to discuss trade, investment and national security, according to an official U.K. readout that listed the business representatives accompanying the British leader.

The group includes financial industry leaders such as HSBC Group Chairman Brendan Nelson and Aberdeen Group CEO Jason Windsor.

Aircraft giant Airbus‘s general counsel John Harrison will also join, along with British Airways Chief Commercial Officer Colm Lacy.

Pharmaceutical executives accompanying Starmer include AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot and GSK Chair Sir Jonathan Symonds.

The visit comes as Beijing hosts a series of foreign leaders this month amid escalating U.S. tensions with its trading partners and disputes involving Greenland.

Earlier this month, Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney visited Beijing. On the first Monday of 2026, Xi met Ireland’s Prime Minister Michael Martin — the first visit by an Irish leader in 14 years — and hosted South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung later in the day. Xi also met Tuesday with Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo.