RIO DE JANEIRO  -  Sir Keir Starmer has met President Xi Jinping at the G20 summit, and emphasised the importance of a “strong UK-China relationship” for both countries. The meeting was the first time a UK prime minister has met the Chinese president in person since 2018, following a recent souring in relations.

Sir Keir raised the case of the detained Hong Kong pro-democracy activist, Jimmy Lai, saying he was concerned about reports of a “deterioration” in his health. The PM also signalled a desire for greater business co-operation, particularly on “areas of mutual cooperation” such as international stability, climate change and economic growth.

Sir Keir met President Xi on the fringes of the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and, speaking at the start of the meeting, said: “We want our relations to be consistent, durable, respectful, as we have agreed, avoid surprises where possible.”

He added: “The UK will be a predictable, consistent, sovereign actor committed to the rule of law.”

Speaking through a translator, Xi told Sir Keir that the two countries should commit to mutual respect and openness, saying: “China and the UK have broad space for co-operation across various domains, including trade, investment, clean energy, financial services, healthcare and improving our peoples’ well-being.”

A read-out of the closed door meeting said the PM set out the leaders’ shared responsibility to work together in pursuit of global stability, economic co-operation and trade, and efforts to move away from fossil fuels to renewables.

Climate change was a focus for the PM, who highlighted that both countries “have an important role to play in support of the global clean power transition”.

A Downing Street spokesperson said the PM wants China’s support on global efforts, particularly in light of President-elect Trump’s expected roll back of green policies.

However, Sir Keir also stressed his government’s approach would “always be rooted in the national interests of the UK, but that we would be a predictable and pragmatic partner” to China.

With China’s military support for Russia’s war in Ukraine having prompted criticism from the UK and other Western countries, the PM also said he wanted to “engage honestly and frankly” on areas of disagreement, including on Hong Kong, human rights and Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Their first meeting follows an initial phone conversation in August after Labour’s election victory and Sir Keir has now proposed a full bilateral meeting in Beijing or London.

The pair also agreed Chancellor Rachel Reeves should visit Beijing next year to discuss economic and financial cooperation with her counterpart, Vice Premier He Lifeng.

Before the meeting in Brazil, the prime minister said it was important to engage with economies like China - and Foreign Secretary David Lammy held talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, as well as Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang, in Beijing last month.

The last British prime minister to meet President Xi was Theresa May, who hailed a “golden era” for UK-China relations during her 2018 visit to the country.

However, since then there have been tensions over issues including China’s treatment of the Uyghur minority group in Xinjiang and pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong.

Last year, then-Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said China was “the biggest state-based threat to our economic security”.

But like the current government, he also said it was necessary to engage with China on issues like climate change and the global economy.