The focus of this article is the cooperation between China and Britain in suppressing piracy from 1928 to 1929, as the two countries had gradually improved their relationship since the later part of the Northern Expedition. Particularly, attention will be paid to the interactions between the Canton authority under Li Chi-sum and Britain. Hong Kong was closely connected to Canton in terms of both location and commerce, and such connection explained why the British government always wanted to support a friendly Canton authority. With the launch of the Northern Expedition, the headquarters of Kuomintang was moved to the Yangtze valley, and Li Chi-sum was ordered to stay in Canton to manage the home front. The British and Hong Kong government were committed to maintaining a friendly relationship, and in return Li Chi-Sum gave a positive response. Thus, the British gradually developed closer interaction with Li Chi-sum, while the overall Sino-British relationship was far from improving. Li Chi-sum began to pay attention to and deal with piracy, a problem that the British government had hoped to resolve for a long time. In addition, piracy not only bothered the British, it caused tremendous loss to the local business and residents of Canton. Rampant pirating threatened the safety of civilians, jeopardized regular commerce, and affected tax income. It was necessary for Li Chi-sum to face the severity of piracy, otherwise it might undermine his status and power in Canton and China. Furthermore, the Sino-British relationship also underwent significant changes as the Northern Expedition progressed. As the Japanese Army intervened in Shantung, the Nationalist government adjusted its foreign policy toward Britain: moving from confrontation to cooperation. China needed to win the Britain’s diplomatic support in dealing with Japan. Therefore, the Nationalist government and Canton authority showed more determination in dealing with piracy in South China waters between 1928 and 1929. Under such friendly circumstances, the British lifted its arm embargo by selling warships and munitions to Canton, and made a positive appraisal of China’s efforts.