Starmer Confronts Xi on Human Rights at G-20. It Did Not Go Well
- UK premier mentions Jimmy Lai, Taiwan, sanctions in Xi meeting
- Starmer is first PM to meet Chinese leader since May in 2018
Prime Minister Keir Starmer had barely registered the UK’s concerns with Chinese President Xi Jinping about the plight of a jailed newspaper publisher in Hong Kong when the British press found themselves abruptly bundled out of the room.
Xi spoke first in the meeting between the two leaders and their officials at the Group of 20 summit in Brazil on Monday, hailing the “broad space for cooperation” between the two nations, including on trade, investment, clean energy and financial services. There were some pleasantries also from Starmer, before the British premier brought up his concerns over sanctioned lawmakers, human rights, Taiwan, Hong Kong and the case of former media mogul Jimmy Lai.
