Xi and UK’s Burnham Hold First Call, Signal Push to Reset Bilateral Ties
Chinese President Xi Jinping held his first telephone conversation with UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham on Tuesday evening, in a call that both sides framed as an opportunity to deepen cooperation between the two nations. The conversation, initiated at Burnham’s request, marked the first publicly known leader-level contact since Burnham took office on July 20.
According to Xinhua, Xi congratulated Burnham on assuming office and characterized China and the UK as comprehensive strategic partners whose common interests outweigh their differences. “Both sides should respect and trust each other, transcend differences, seek common ground, and expand mutually beneficial cooperation,” Xi was quoted as saying.
A Relationship in Transition
The call comes at a pivotal moment for UK-China relations, which have been gradually warming since former Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s landmark visit to Beijing in January 2026 — the first by a British leader in eight years. That trip secured visa-free travel for UK citizens and halved tariffs on Scotch whisky, signaling a deliberate shift away from the frosty relations that characterized much of the 2018-2024 period.
Burnham, who succeeded Starmer after becoming the UK’s seventh prime minister in a decade, has signaled continuity in approach. During Tuesday’s call, he emphasized that the UK would maintain policy consistency toward China and expressed willingness to “restore bilateral relations to the highest historical level,” according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s English readout.
A Downing Street readout confirmed both leaders affirmed their commitment to a “long-term and consistent comprehensive strategic partnership,” while discussing opportunities for economic growth and improving living standards in both countries.
Divergent Emphases Reveal Complexities
While Xi focused on shared interests and cooperation potential, the UK side’s account reveals that Burnham also raised several contentious issues. According to the Downing Street statement, the Prime Minister said he “would engage frankly and constructively on issues that matter for both countries,” raising domestic security, Russia’s war in Ukraine, Hong Kong, human rights, and consular cases of particular importance.
This dual-track approach — pursuing economic cooperation while raising difficult political questions — reflects the complex reality of the bilateral relationship, as Reuters noted in its analysis of the call.
Xi, for his part, emphasized areas of potential collaboration, noting that China’s 15th Five-Year Plan period will further open up educational, healthcare, and financial sectors. He also stressed that both nations, as permanent members of the UN Security Council and major economies, should strengthen coordination within the UN, G20, and WTO frameworks.
The British Steel Shadow
Perhaps the most pointed comment from Xi was his expression of hope that the UK would “fully protect the lawful rights and interests of Chinese investors” — a statement widely interpreted as a direct reference to the British Steel nationalization dispute.
The UK government took British Steel into full public ownership on July 16 under the Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Act, after the company — owned by China’s Jingye Group — had been under operational government control since April 2025. China’s commerce ministry responded by saying it “firmly opposes and is strongly dissatisfied” with the decision, as BBC News reported.
Jingye Group has since demanded full compensation under the China-UK Bilateral Investment Treaty, a dispute that SCMP noted remains a significant point of tension in an otherwise warming relationship.
Burnham’s Personal China Connection
Burnham brought a distinctive personal dimension to the call, recalling his years as Mayor of Greater Manchester (2017-2026) and the impact of Xi’s 2015 state visit to the city. Manchester was the only city besides London that Xi visited during his UK state visit, a trip that included stops at the National Graphene Institute and Manchester City Football Club.
That visit catalyzed significant Chinese investment in the region. As China Daily documented, Manchester has since seen projects involving China worth approximately £6 billion, with more than 9,000 Chinese students contributing over £1 billion annually to the regional economy.
Burnham’s engagement with China extended beyond ceremonial ties. He led a trade mission to China in 2018 and maintained Manchester’s sister city relationship with Wuhan throughout even the most difficult diplomatic periods.
Humanitarian Dimension
Tuesday’s call also touched on the devastating mudslide that struck Gyirong Port on the China-Nepal border on August 26, which killed hundreds and left many missing. Burnham commended China’s response to the disaster and thanked Chinese authorities for their assistance to affected British nationals, according to the Xinhua report.
Analysis: Pragmatism Meets Complexity
Analysts see the call as a significant step in consolidating the UK’s pragmatic approach toward China. As Global Times reported, experts note that Burnham’s remarks suggest the UK is seeking greater stability in its China policy while maintaining strategic autonomy.
The relationship remains a delicate balancing act. Britain is deeply embedded in the US-led Western security framework, yet faces economic pressures that make China’s market increasingly important. The British Steel dispute illustrates the potential for friction, while the shared commitment to multilateralism and open trade provides common ground.
What to Watch
Key questions moving forward include whether the Jingye compensation dispute can be resolved without further damaging bilateral confidence, whether a Xi visit to the UK might materialize following Starmer’s earlier invitation, and how Burnham’s government will balance China engagement against pressure from Washington and domestic critics.
Both leaders agreed to stay in touch, with dialogue between their governments on mutual priorities expected to continue. As Burnham expressed it, the goal is to take the relationship to levels not seen before — a ambition that will now face the test of practical implementation.