WASHINGTON: U.S President Donald Trump has cautioned Britain against deepening economic ties with China, describing such moves as “very dangerous,” amid Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s efforts to reset relations with Beijing.
Starmer, whose Labour government has prioritized stronger engagement with the world’s second-largest economy, met Chinese President Xi Jinping for three hours on Thursday in Beijing.
The talks focused on improving market access, reducing tariffs, and securing investment deals, alongside lighter discussions on soccer and Shakespeare, according to the Reuters.
In Washington, Trump addressed reporters before the premiere of the “Melania” film at the Kennedy Centre. “Well, it’s very dangerous for them to do that,” he said of Britain’s closer economic engagement with China, without elaborating further.
The U.K leader, speaking to the UK-China Business Forum, described his meetings with Xi as “very warm” and said they achieved meaningful progress.
He highlighted agreements on visa-free travel and lower tariffs on whisky as key steps toward building “mutual trust and respect” in the bilateral relationship.
Starmer emphasized that Britain can deepen ties with China without compromising its historic alliance with the United States. “The relationship we have with the United States is one of the closest … we hold,” he said, citing areas such as defense, security, intelligence, and trade. He stressed that the U.K. need not choose between the U.S. and China.
The Prime Minister’s visit occurs amid Trump’s unpredictable trade policies, including recent threats to impose tariffs on Canada and controversial remarks about annexing Greenland.
Starmer, in recent weeks, has shown a willingness to defy Trump, urging him to apologize for NATO-related comments and resisting pressure over Greenland.
Trump’s Commerce Secretary, Howard Lutnick, expressed skepticism about Starmer’s China strategy, saying, “The Chinese are the greatest exporters, and they are very, very difficult when you’re trying to export to them. So good luck if the British are trying to export to China… it’s just unlikely.”
Starmer joins a series of Western leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, in seeking closer economic engagement with Beijing, signaling a global push to balance ties with both China and the United States.
