Trump’s China Warning to Starmer: UK Relations ‘Very Dangerous
US President Donald Trump has warned that it is “very dangerous” for the UK to increase its business and diplomatic engagement with China, as Prime Minister Keir Starmer continued his visit to Beijing.
Mr Trump was responding to a series of agreements announced during Sir Keir’s three day trip to China, aimed at resetting relations and boosting trade and investment between the two countries.
Speaking at the premiere of a documentary about his wife Melania, the US president was asked about Britain’s growing economic ties with China.
“Well, it’s very dangerous for them to do that,” he said.
His comments came shortly after Sir Keir described the UK’s relationship with China as being in a “good, strong place” following talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People.
Sir Keir said the meetings had delivered “just the level of engagement that we hoped for”.
“We warmly engaged and made some real progress,” he told the UK China Business Forum at the Bank of China in Beijing. “The UK has a huge amount to offer.”
Trade deals and investment
Several agreements have been announced during the visit, including a deal allowing British citizens to travel to China for up to 30 days without a visa and a reduction in Chinese import tariffs on UK whisky from 10 percent to 5 percent.
The government said the visa free travel agreement would bring the UK into line with around 50 other countries, including France, Germany, Italy, Australia and Japan. There is no confirmed start date, but ministers hope it will be introduced as soon as possible.
Around 620,000 British people travelled to China in 2024, according to the Office for National Statistics, and hundreds of thousands could benefit from the change.
Sir Keir said relaxed visa rules would make it easier for businesses to expand in China and for people to travel.
“As one of the world’s economic powerhouses, businesses have been crying out for ways to grow their footprint in China,” he said.
The trip also coincided with an announcement by pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca, which plans to invest $15bn, or £10.9bn, in China by 2030, expanding manufacturing and its workforce.
Downing Street said the two governments had also agreed to explore negotiations on a services agreement, which would create clear and legally binding rules for UK firms operating in China. The UK is the world’s second largest exporter of services, and officials say demand from China is growing.
Security and migration cooperation
Alongside trade, the UK and China signed agreements on cooperation in areas including organised crime, food safety, education, and illegal migration.
Downing Street said law enforcement agencies from both countries would work together to disrupt the supply of small boat engines and equipment used by criminal gangs to facilitate Channel crossings.
More than 60 percent of engines recovered from migrant boats last year were branded as Chinese manufactured, officials said.
Sir Keir said he had also raised contentious issues with President Xi, including the imprisonment of pro democracy campaigner Jimmy Lai and the treatment of the Uyghur minority in Xinjiang.
“Engagement allows us to seize opportunities, but also to have mature discussions about the issues where we disagree,” he said.
Trump criticism and Canada warning
Mr Trump’s criticism extended beyond the UK. He also warned that Canada faced even greater risk for strengthening economic ties with China.
“Canada is not doing well. They’re doing very poorly, and you can’t look at China as the answer,” he said.
Earlier this week, Mr Trump threatened to impose 100 percent tariffs on Canada if it followed through on economic agreements reached during a recent visit to Beijing by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
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Despite the warnings, business leaders welcomed the UK China talks. The chair of the British Chamber of Commerce in China, Chris Torrens, described the visit as successful.
“It makes sense for the UK to be looking to China. It’s one of its larger trading partners,” he told the BBC.
He noted that other Western leaders had visited Beijing recently or planned to do so, including Mr Trump himself, who is expected to travel to China later this year.
Political criticism at home
The visit has drawn criticism from opposition parties in the UK.
Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp accused Sir Keir of prioritising economic gains over national security.
“Keir Starmer has gone to Beijing to kowtow to President Xi, trading national security for economic crumbs,” he said.
He dismissed the agreement on tackling small boat crossings as a gimmick that would make little difference.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said she would not have travelled to China at this time if she were prime minister.
Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesman Calum Miller said the approach appeared unbalanced.
“Many British firms want Chinese business, but the public also wants reassurance that national security is being protected,” he said.
Diplomatic symbolism
At the start of his talks, Sir Keir told President Xi he wanted a “more sophisticated” relationship between the two countries, stressing that global events affect everyday life in Britain.
President Xi said UK China relations had experienced periods of difficulty that did not serve either country’s interests. He argued that dialogue was essential in a turbulent world and praised previous Labour governments for strengthening ties.
Following the meeting, Sir Keir presented President Xi with a football used in a recent Premier League match between Manchester United and Arsenal. Sir Keir is a long time Arsenal supporter, while President Xi is reported to support Manchester United.
President Xi gifted the prime minister a copper horse statue, while Chinese Premier Li Qiang presented him with three traditional flutes.
Sir Keir is due to travel to Shanghai before continuing to Japan for talks with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, as part of a wider Asia Pacific diplomatic tour.
