China has agreed to allow British citizens to travel visa-free for up to 30 days amongst other things, Downing Street said.
The announcement follows Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s meeting with President Xi Jinping in Beijing, making him the first British leader to visit China in eight years.
Additionally, the trip also saw an agreement to cut import taxes on UK whisky from 10% to 5%, as the government seeks closer trade ties with Beijing to help boost economic growth.
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However, critics argue the UK should treat a relationship with China with more caution because of the risk to national security and the country’s human rights record.
A date for when the visa agreement will come into effect is yet to be announced; however, the government is hoping this will happen as soon as possible.
It is believed hundreds of thousands of Brits could potentially benefit from the change, as data shows around 620,000 travelling to China in 2024, according to the Office for National Statistics.
Downing Street said the policy would place the UK alongside 50 other countries, among them France, Germany, Italy, Australia and Japan.
Sir Keir said the move would make it easier for businesses to expand in China and allow British citizens to travel there on holiday without a visa.
“As one of the world’s economic powerhouses, businesses have been crying out for ways to grow their footprints in China,” he said.
“We’ll make it easier for them to do so – including via relaxed visa rules for short-term travel – supporting them to expand abroad, all while boosting growth and jobs at home.”
Downing Street said the UK and China had also agreed to explore opening negotiations on a services agreement that would set clear, legally binding rules for UK firms operating in China.
No 10 said demand from China is growing as the UK, the world’s second-largest exporter of services, including finance, healthcare and legal services, continues to expand its global reach.
It went on to say that an agreement would open up Chinese markets for businesses, for example, by enabling recognition of UK professional qualifications.
In the meantime, pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca will invest $15bn (£10.9bn) in China by 2030, creating new manufacturing sites and expanding its workforce.
After the talks at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, which lasted around an hour and 20 minutes, Sir Keir said he and President Xi had discussed how “huge opportunities” in China could benefit people in the UK.
He also said the pair had made some “good progress” on cooperation over illegal migration.
Under an agreement signed on Thursday, Downing Street said UK and Chinese law enforcement would cooperate to curb the supply of small boat engines and equipment used by gangs to smuggle migrants across the Channel.