‘No comment’: City firms on Starmer China trip keep schtum
When Sir Keir Starmer boarded a British Airways flight to Beijing earlier this week, he brought with him a coterie of leaders from British industry to help fly the flag.
More than 50 delegates were invited on the PM’s trip, many from top City institutions such as law firm Clifford Chance and accounting giant PwC.
But while Starmer seeks to talk up the breadth and depth of his business support, few of his industry compatriots are keen to get in on the action.
Morning Wire contacted 35 of the 53 organisations who are represented at the government’s China trip – who comprise a melange of top private sector employers such as Barclays and GSK alongside national institutions such as the National History Museum.
The organisations were asked why they chose to join the trip and how they feel about the UK’s economic ties with China, as well as any highlights from the trip.
All but four of the private sector firms contacted by Morning Wire refused to comment or did not respond to a request for comment. This included the likes of KPMG, Jaguar Land Rover, McLaren and Standard Chartered.
The four who did reply were asset managers Schroders and Aberdeen, as well as law firms Baker McKenzie and Freshfields.
Richard Oldfield, Group Chief Executive, Schroders, said: ““It was an honour to return to China alongside the UK Government this week. For more than three decades China has been of great strategic importance for Schroders, and we have been sharing our deep global pensions and investment expertise.
“Our cross-border business opens up a broader spectrum of public market and private market investment opportunities for all China-based clients. We have recently expanded into private equity, real estate and renewables as we continue to widen our reach in support of China’s financial growth”.
Aberdeen said: “Aberdeen has been investing in Chinese markets for over 30 years, managing a number of highly successful China equity and bond strategies on behalf of our clients.
“We have experienced investment teams based on the ground in Shanghai and Hong Kong and we continue to see exciting opportunities for our business in China.”
Georgia Dawson, senior partner at Freshfields, said: “Along with other, similar business delegations, this delegation provides a valuable opportunity to contribute to discussions on issues that matter to our global client base.”
Public groups back Starmer trip
Public institutions, such as the Natural History Museum and the Royal Shakespeare Company, were more obliging.
The RSC said: “The RSC is proud to share the best of British theatre with audiences around the world, strengthening the connections and joy that theatre brings across borders.
“The 2026 Matilda The Musical China tour showcases world-class British creativity and supports more than 100 jobs for UK nationals. Running from February to August, this acclaimed, multi-award-winning production will delight over a quarter of a million audience members across China.”
Of the comments received by Morning Wire, the most effusive support for Starmer came from Sally Locker, chief executive of Table Tennis England.
She said: “The chance to accompany the Prime Minister and a high-level delegation on a visit of great importance is both a great honour and a unique opportunity.
“I look forward to making connections with the Chinese and Japanese table tennis communities, as well as political and business leaders, and sharing ideas about moving the sport forward.
“The centenary World Championships in London, alongside further major events hosted by England in the near future, provides us with a huge opportunity to create a lasting impact in both performance and participation table tennis, strengthen communities and promote active lifestyles.”