The top U.S. envoy to China called Thursday for fair and reciprocal trade between the world's two largest economies and expressed concern about projections that China's dominance of global manufacturing will grow even further in the years to come.

Sir Keir Starmer told Xi Jinping that he wants a “more sophisticated” relationship with China as the two leaders met in Beijing seeking to patch up ties strained by years of spying scandals and geopolitical tensions.

In response to Trump's tariffs, China's use of other Asian manufacturing markets and forced labor is adding trillions into Chinese GDP.

The First Island Chain is designed to project force by using U.S.-friendly territories to deter and defend against aggression.

The leaders of Britain and China called Thursday for a "strategic partnership" to deepen ties between their nations at a time of growing global turbulence as they sought to thaw relations after years of chill.

Shadow home secretary Chris Philp accuses the government of trading "national security for economic crumbs off the Chinese table".

President Trump's tariffs and rhetoric have spurred some longtime U.S. allies to diversify their trade ties away from the U.S. Some are going cap-in-hand to Asian superpowers China and India.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer is the first British leader to travel to China in eight years, on a trip dominated by questions over global trade and security concerns.