Beijing ends travel bans on UK MPs in diplomatic thaw

China has agreed to lift sanctions on several British MPs and peers with immediate effect, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said.

The restrictions, including travel bans, were imposed in 2021 on six parliamentarians over their criticism of China’s human rights record.

Those targeted included Conservative MPs Sir Iain Duncan Smith, Nusrat Ghani, Tom Tugendhat, Neil O’Brien and Tim Loughton, as well as peers Baroness Kennedy and Lord Alton, all members of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China.

The sanctions were introduced after lawmakers spoke out about alleged abuses against the Uyghur population in Xinjiang, accusations that Beijing continues to deny.

Starmer said he raised the issue directly with Chinese President Xi Jinping during talks, arguing that renewed engagement had made progress possible.

However, the sanctioned lawmakers warned against their status being used as leverage in negotiations with Beijing, saying they would reject any deal that weakened efforts to hold Chinese officials accountable for abuses in Xinjiang.

China’s foreign ministry said both sides had agreed in principle to restore normal parliamentary exchanges and welcomed British lawmakers willing to visit China.

The move comes during Starmer’s visit to China, the first by a British prime minister since 2018, which has drawn criticism amid concerns over espionage and diplomatic tensions.

By Tamilla Hasanova