UK and China must build ‘more sophisticated relationship’, Starmer tells Xi – live updates

Starmer gifts Xi football from Man Utd-Arsenal matchpublished at 06:03 GMT

06:03 GMT

Gavin Butler
Live reporter

Upon meeting Xi earlier today, Starmer handed the Chinese president a rather unusual gift: the football used during last weekend’s English Premier League match between Manchester United and Arsenal.

Xi is reported to be a supporter of Manchester United, who beat Arsenal – the team Starmer supports – 3-2 on Sunday.

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In 2015, ESPN described the Chinese president as “Manchester United-obsessed” – noting that during his visit to Britain in 2015 Xi was confusingly given a VIP tour around Etihad Stadium, “the home of United’s bitter crosstown rivals, Manchester City”.

Starmer, an avid football fan who is regularly seen at Arsenal’s games, likely saw the gift as a way to connect to Xi.

It’s not the first unique gift a British leader has given the Chinese president. In 2018, Theresa May presented Xi with a DVD box set of BBC’s seven-part natural history series, Blue Planet II.

The copy May gave Xi reportedly had a specially recorded message from Sir David Attenborough himself, intended to highlight both countries’ determination to stop plastic pollution.