China in January 2026: the most important developments in politics
In January 2026 China's diplomacy was dominated by a visit from UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the first by a British leader since 2018. On January 20 the UK government gave final approval for a much larger Chinese embassy in London. Starmer arrived in Beijing on January 28 and met Xi Jinping the next day, describing a "sophisticated" relationship, while China eased visa rules for British citizens. He said he would be "clear-eyed" on national security and planned to raise the case of publisher Jimmy Lai. President Trump warned Britain that closer ties with China are "very dangerous". Starmer concluded the trip on January 31, calling it "historic".
Other governments also moved toward Beijing. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney visited from January 14 and met Xi on January 16, and the two sides agreed to advance a new strategic partnership; Carney called China "more predictable" than the United States. South Korean President Lee Jae-myung made a state visit from January 4, held a summit with Xi on January 5 and on January 7 asked him to help with North Korea. Xi called India a "good neighbor, friend and partner" and spoke by phone with Vietnam's To Lam and Brazil's Lula. Finland's prime minister and Uruguay's president also travelled to China.
On US actions, China condemned the American strike on Venezuela and the seizure of President Nicolas Maduro, and called for his release at the UN Security Council. Trump said Russia or China could take over Greenland; Russia and China rejected the claim, and Nordic officials also disputed it. China urged restraint over Iran and rejected a US tariff order on Cuban oil.
Tensions continued with Japan and the Philippines. China criticised remarks on Taiwan by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and warned against a revival of Japanese militarism, while Japan and the Philippines signed a defense pact. On January 24 China's defense ministry announced an investigation into senior officers Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli. A Hong Kong trial began for three organisers of the Tiananmen vigil.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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