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Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is pictured alongside China's Xi Jinping on most of Friday's papers, following their meeting in Beijing on Thursday. The Financial Times says Sir Keir is seeking to "restore better relations" with the Chinese president, at what the paper is calling "a time of global instability".
The prime minister is also front and centre of the Telegraph, which features a photograph of Sir Keir attending a ceremonial welcome in the Chinese capital, paired with the caption "Starmer among friends". The paper has also launched a "Campaign for democracy", and leads with a "revolt" over cancelled local elections around the UK. Councillors in Norfolk and Welwyn Hatfield have stood down "in protest" of the "axed" votes, and the Telegraph says others are considering taking similar action.
"Capitulation in Beijing" declares the Mail, condemning what it says is a trip for the prime minister to "suck up to" China. Sir Keir "gave the go-ahead to China's nest of spies embassy", the paper says, and will leave China "virtually empty-handed". Planning permission for China's controversial new embassy in London was granted earlier this month, after repeated delays. The Chinese embassy previously said: "Anti-China forces are using security risks as an excuse to interfere with the British government's consideration over this planning application. This is a despicable move that is unpopular and will not succeed."
The Guardian says Sir Keir has taken a "major step towards rapprochement" with China, opening the door for Xi to visit the UK.
The Star takes a lighter approach to the visit, writing "Great ball of China" after the prime minister gifted Xi the football used during last weekend's English Premier League match between Manchester United and Arsenal. The Chinese president is reported to be a supporter of Manchester United, while Sir Keir is an Arsenal fan.
"Iranian guard corps to be treated as terrorists by UK" reads the Times, after the European Union added the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to its list of terrorist organisations on Thursday. The group operates separately to Iran's army, and has sworn loyalty to the Ayatollah. According to the paper, the Home Office has been drawing up legislation to enable the ban since last May, but sources have told the Times that is now likely to be brought forward.
The i Paper reports that the Home Office is set to deport asylum seekers to Syria, despite concerns about "violence and deteriorating conditions" in the "war-torn" nation. The shift is part of Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood's promised migrant reforms, it says, which have been inspired by similar policies in Denmark.
Thieves have targeted a Cheshire property shared by presenter Maya Jama and footballer Ruben Dias, according to the Sun. It reports that the couple are "devastated", after clothing, jewellery and clothes were taken from the "£4m Omaze prize-draw mansion".
The Mirror leads on fresh comments from boxer Anthony Joshua, who has paid tribute to the two friends killed in a car crash that he "miraculously survived" at the end of last year. The paper said he referred to the men as his "brothers", and said he still couldn't "get my head around it".
The assisted dying bill leads the Express, which features an interview with a terminally ill mother issuing a "desperate plea" to the seven peers blocking the legislation from passing through the House of Lords.
The Metro says a London bus driver has been sacked for "gross misconduct", after he allegedly chased down and punched a thief who had "snatched" a passenger's necklace.
