BEIJING — Dialogue between the U.K. and China is essential for “world peace,” Chinese President Xi Jinping told Keir Starmer Thursday, heaping praise on Britain’s center-left prime minister as the two men marked a thawing of their relationship.

The U.K. prime minister said he wanted “more sophisticated” ties with the world’s second-largest economy, during a visit where he is seeking growth for the British economy and co-operation on issues such as climate change.

It is the first visit by a U.K. prime minister to China for eight years, which has proven controversial in Britain due to concerns over Beijing’s human rights record, economic imbalances and accusations of cyber sabotage in Britain by Chinese entities.

But in remarks at the start of their meeting in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People, both men avoided difficult issues and heaped praise on each other’s countries.

After years of chilled relations under Conservative U.K. governments, Starmer said: “China is a vital player on the global stage and it is vital to build a more sophisticated relationship, where we can identify opportunities to collaborate, but also to allow meaningful dialogue on areas where we disagree.”

Communist leader Xi, speaking through an interpreter, singled out Britain’s Labour Party, saying it had in the past “made important contributions to the growth of China-U.K. relations.” He added that there had been “twists and turns that did not serve the interests of our countries” in recent years.

Describing the state of the world as “turbulent and fluid,” Xi said more dialogue between the two nations was “imperative,” whether “for the sake of world peace and stability or for our two countries’ economies and peoples.”

He added the two men would “stand the test of history” if they could rise above their differences.

Acknowledging the furor over China in the U.K., Xi said: “Your visit this time has drawn a lot of attention. Sometimes good things take time.

“As long as it is the right thing that serves the fundamental interests of the country and the people, then as leaders we should not shy away from difficulties.”

Starmer has tried to take a more measured approach than Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who warned the world order was fractured after his recent trip to Beijing and was later threatened with tariffs by U.S. President Donald Trump. Starmer has insisted he can pursue trade with the U.S., EU and China at the same time in a way that protects national security.

The U.K. prime minister said he wanted to focus on “global stability and security, growth and shared challenges like climate change.”

Starmer did not raise specific human rights concerns or policy detail during his brief on-camera remarks, though he did make reference to having “meaningful dialogue” on areas where the countries disagree.

Ahead of the meeting, Starmer declined to say whether he would raise Russia’s war in Ukraine with Xi, or whether he would ask the Chinese leader to put pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the fighting.

China and the U.K. are due to sign a series of deals later on Thursday. They are expected to cover areas including visa-free travel and mutual recognition of professional qualifications, but collaboration on deeper technology including wind farms appeared less likely.