China has lifted sanctions imposed on six serving UK parliamentarians, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has confirmed, following talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping during his visit to the country.
Speaking to the BBC in Shanghai, Starmer said the travel bans and restrictions placed on the lawmakers “no longer apply,” describing the move as the removal of “all restrictions” on the group.
He added that the development supported his government’s strategy of engagement with Beijing and expressed hope that President Xi would visit the UK when it hosts the G20 summit in 2027.
The sanctions were originally introduced by China in 2021 and targeted several members of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, a group known for criticising Beijing’s policies and alleged human rights abuses.
Among those sanctioned were Conservative MPs Sir Iain Duncan Smith, Nusrat Ghani, Tom Tugendhat, Neil O’Brien and former MP Tim Loughton, alongside Labour peer Baroness Kennedy and crossbench peer Lord Alton.
The measures included bans on entry into mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau, the freezing of assets in China, and restrictions preventing Chinese citizens and institutions from conducting business with them.
While the UK government has confirmed that it has not lifted sanctions on any Chinese individuals, it remains unclear whether China has removed restrictions on others beyond the six serving parliamentarians.
In a joint statement, the six MPs and peers said they were informed of the change through media reports and stressed they “take no comfort” in the decision, arguing that others remain under sanction.
They also called for assurances that UK sanctions on Chinese officials accused of involvement in serious abuses remain firmly in place.
The lawmakers criticised what they described as the “selective lifting” of sanctions, warning that it could send a harmful message that some public officials are more deserving of protection than others.
They also referenced the continued detention of pro-democracy campaigner Jimmy Lai and ongoing concerns about the treatment of Uyghurs in Xinjiang.
China has repeatedly denied accusations of human rights abuses in Xinjiang, where it has been accused of crimes against humanity against Uyghurs and other mostly-Muslim ethnic groups.
Reacting to the development, China’s foreign ministry said both sides had agreed in principle to resume normal exchanges between the UK and Chinese legislatures, adding that Beijing welcomed British parliamentarians willing to visit and “experience the real China.”
Starmer’s three-day trip to China—the first by a UK prime minister since 2018—has been widely viewed as an attempt to reset relations with the world’s second-largest economy. The prime minister said earlier that the UK-China relationship was now in a “good, strong place,” and defended his approach against critics who accuse him of being too accommodating.
“It would be foolhardy to sit with your head in the sand and refuse to engage,” Starmer said, insisting the UK had used the trip to pursue economic opportunities while also raising sensitive issues.
Downing Street has described the lifting of sanctions as one of the “clear wins” from the visit, alongside trade developments including a deal to halve import taxes on British whisky, expected to take effect from Monday.
Starmer was also asked about remarks by US President Donald Trump, who described closer UK business ties with China as “very dangerous.” Starmer suggested Trump’s comments appeared more directed at Canada than Britain, and said the UK had discussed the trip with the Trump administration in advance.
The prime minister is concluding his visit in Shanghai before travelling to Tokyo for talks with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
