Could China become the world's policeman?

Could China become the world's policeman?

Author: The Times January 30, 2026 Duration: 36:03

Keir Starmer is visiting China, becoming the first UK prime minister to travel to Beijing in eight years. His trip comes amid a queue of world leaders seeking meetings with Xi Jinping, as some countries look for leverage in an increasingly volatile global order. But can China be trusted as a global partner? And as the US appears to be stepping back from its role as the world’s policeman, what kind of power is China prepared to become?



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Guest: 

  • Cindy Yu, columnist and contributing editor at The Times & The Sunday Times.
  • Isabel Hilton, journalist and China watcher.


Host: Manveen Rana.

Producers: Julia Webster, Harry Stott, and Sophie McNulty.


We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.com


Read more: What Keir Starmer and Xi Jinping said in China (and what they meant)

Further listening: Is China’s mega-embassy a mega-spy base?

Clips: BBC, World Economic Forum, CBS, APT, DRM News

Photo: Getty Images.

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