• China has lifted all restrictions on six members of the UK Parliament.
• The lifting of sanctions follows talks between PM Keir Starmer and President Xi Jinping.
• Critics express concern over the use of lawmakers as "bargaining chips" in diplomacy.

China has officially lifted sanctions on six members of the British Parliament, according to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. This decision follows recent discussions between Starmer and Chinese President Xi Jinping during Starmer's first trip to China as UK prime minister since 2018. Starmer confirmed that "all restrictions" including travel bans that had been applied to four Conservative MPs and two peers from the House of Lords are now rescinded, suggesting that this outcome "vindicated" his diplomatic approach, according to BBC and AA.

The restrictions had been imposed in 2021 in response to British sanctions against Chinese officials over allegations of human rights abuses in Xinjiang. During his meeting with President Xi, Starmer emphasized that the issue was a significant concern for Parliament, which contributed to his decision to raise it high on the agenda, according to South China Morning Post.

Following the lifting of sanctions, the targeted lawmakers expressed discomfort at being used as "bargaining chips" in negotiations, indicating a preference to remain sanctioned rather than jeopardize broader human rights issues. The MPs, which include Sir Iain Duncan Smith and Nusrat Ghani, argued that the selective lifting of sanctions is detrimental to the representation of all UK citizens, according to BBC and AA.

Starmer's three-day visit aimed at improving Sino-British relations also resulted in mutual agreements to facilitate personnel exchanges and discussions on various sensitive topics. The lifting of sanctions appears to mark a significant step in diplomatic engagements and cooperation created by this leader-to-leader dialogue, according to South China Morning Post.