Starmer signs landmark deal with China to tackle small boats crisis

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"Britain and China have agreed to share intelligence in an attempt to stop Chinese engines and dinghies being used by people smugglers to transport migrants across the English Channel. One of the deals signed by Sir Keir Starmer and President Xi Jinping is to share data on the small boats issue, which the prime minister hopes will disrupt the supply chains of the criminal gangs transporting thousands of people illegally to the UK."

"The 2025 figure was second only to 2022 when 45,744 crossed the Channel on the boats. Starmer met President Xi in Beijing on Thursday (AP) While the start of 2026 has seen no crossings, this has been put down to bad weather conditions in the Channel. Sir Keir came into office in 2024 with a vow to smash the gangs responsible for the crossings but has instead seen a steady increase in the numbers of crossings."

The Independent solicits donations to fund reporters covering reproductive rights, climate change and Big Tech while keeping reporting free of paywalls for wide public access. Britain and China agreed to share intelligence and data to disrupt supply chains used by people-smuggling gangs transporting migrants across the English Channel. The Home Office described 2025’s 41,472 small-boat arrivals as shameful, a figure second only to 2022’s 45,744. Starmer met President Xi in Beijing as the prime minister pursues cooperation to tackle the crossings. Early 2026 saw no crossings, attributed to bad weather. The issue was blamed for the collapse of the Conservative government.

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