First trip to China by a British PM in eight years
Global News Podcast
BBC
4.3 • 8.3K Ratings
🗓️ 28 January 2026
⏱️ 26 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer is in China on a three-day visit, the first of its kind by a British PM since 2018. The UK government views it as an opportunity to strengthen trade and cultural ties between the two nations after years of acrimony. For China, this is part of a charm offensive in the hope that some will now look at Beijing as a stable, predictable partner - in contrast to the US.
Also: the body of the last remaining hostage held in Gaza has been laid to rest in Israel. In a historic change for Anglicans worldwide, the first woman to be appointed Archbishop of Canterbury is officially confirmed. Several countries in Asia have begun tightening health surveillance and screening at airports, after two cases of the highly contagious Nipah virus were confirmed in India. Kim Keon Hee, the former first lady of South Korea, is found guilty of bribery charges. How conservationists in England turn old barges that once transported coal into habitat for endangered wildlife. And we learn about the two-year-old snooker prodigy Jude Owens who's already secured two Guinness World Records.
The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, podcasts. |
| 0:05.6 | This is the Global News podcast from the BBC World Service. |
| 0:11.4 | I'm Valerie Sanderson, and at 1545 hours, GMT, on Wednesday the 28th of January, these are our main stories. |
| 0:18.8 | For the first time in eight years, a British prime minister |
| 0:21.8 | is in China. So what's the aim of Kier Stama's visit? We are resolute about being outward |
| 0:27.8 | looking, about taking opportunities, building relationships, having confidence globally, and |
| 0:34.4 | it is in our national interest to engage with China. |
| 0:38.2 | Israel's president, speaking at the funeral of the last hostage to be returned from Gaza, |
| 0:42.9 | says his country can begin to heal. |
| 0:45.6 | The first female Archbishop of Canterbury, spiritual leader of 85 million Anglicans, |
| 0:50.9 | is confirmed at his ceremony at St Paul's Cathedral in London. |
| 0:56.4 | Also in this podcast, The Snooker player whose broken records at the tender age of two. |
| 1:06.8 | The British Prime Minister Kirstama has arrived in China for a three-day visit to boost trade ties. It's the first trip by a British Prime Minister, Keir Stama, has arrived in China for a three-day visit to boost trade ties. |
| 1:13.2 | It's the first trip by a British Prime Minister since 2018, but comes amid controversy back |
| 1:18.2 | home, where his government is facing criticism for approving a new Chinese embassy in London, |
| 1:23.7 | despite security concerns about its size and its location. |
| 1:29.3 | But as the plane came into land, |
| 1:31.9 | Sir Keir sounded optimistic about the visit as he took to the aircraft's tannoy system. |
| 1:34.5 | This is the first Prime Minister trip to China in eight years, |
| 1:39.4 | and we've got an excellent delegation on board |
| 1:42.2 | from business, culture, arts, sports, |
| 1:46.0 | and we're going to unlock opportunities for our country. |
... |
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