British Lawmakers Say They Take ‘No Comfort’ in China Lifting Sanctions Amid Human Rights Abuses

Beijing will lift the sanctions it placed on the serving British parliamentarians in 2021 after their criticism of the regime’s human rights, Starmer said.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer visits the Forbidden City during his visit to China, on Jan. 29, 2026. Carl Court/Getty Images

A number of UK lawmakers said on Jan. 30 that they take “no comfort” from China’s decision to lift the sanctions imposed on it, especially as the communist regime continues to commit human rights abuses in Hong Kong and the Xinjiang region.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who is in China for a four-day visit, announced that he had secured an assurance from Chinese leader Xi Jinping to remove the restrictions on sitting parliamentarians during their earlier meeting in Beijing.