Airbus, AstraZeneca and HSBC executives join UK's Starmer on high-stakes China trip

Group 1: Business Participation - Nearly 60 British businesses and cultural organizations are accompanying U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer on his trip to China, marking the first state visit in eight years [1] - The delegation includes leaders from the financial industry, such as HSBC Group Chairman Brendan Nelson and Aberdeen Group CEO Jason Windsor [2] - Executives from major companies in the aerospace and pharmaceutical sectors are also part of the group, including Airbus's general counsel John Harrison and AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot [2] Group 2: Context of the Visit - The visit occurs amid a series of foreign leaders visiting Beijing, highlighting China's diplomatic engagements amidst escalating tensions with the U.S. and disputes involving trading partners [3] - Recent visits by other foreign leaders, including Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney and Ireland's Prime Minister Michael Martin, indicate China's active diplomatic efforts [3]