The Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, has raised China’s human rights record and the impact of its imports on the UK steel industry at a meeting at Buckingham Palace with President Xi Jinping, which the party described as “cordial and constructive”.
A statement from Labour following Corbyn’s meeting stressed the good nature of the exchange, and praised “the remarkable Chinese achievements in poverty-reduction, lifting over 600 million people out of poverty”.
Discussion between Corbyn and Xi also ranged over historic links between the UK, Labour and China, the sacrifice of the Chinese people in the struggle against fascism during the second world war, and Xi’s New Silk Road strategy.
They then spoke about working together to address major threats to world security such as climate change, persistent economic inequality and international terrorism, as well as opportunities to upgrade cultural and people-to-people exchanges between China and the UK.
At the end, the statement said Corbyn “also raised the issues of human rights and the impact of Chinese imports on the UK steel industry”.
John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, has revealed that Corbyn’s concerns for the steel industry were put in a letter, which was expected to be handed over the Chinese president.
The timing of the meeting at 6pm on Tuesday meant the Labour leader had a chance to mention human rights and the steel industry before David Cameron, who is expected to raise both of those topics in bilateral talks at Downing Street on Wednesday.
Corbyn will be attending the state banquet held in Xi’s honour at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday night, despite being a republican.
Earlier, the Labour leader listened to Xi address MPs and peers in the Palace of Westminster, at which he had to sit awkwardly next to Cameron.
