Donald Trump has warned the United Kingdom against deepening economic ties with China, hours after Prime Minister Keir Starmer hailed progress during a landmark visit to Beijing. The US president described the move as “very dangerous” for the UK, creating potential friction with a key ally.
Starmer, the first British prime minister to visit China in eight years, held three hours of talks with President Xi Jinping, securing improved market access, lower tariffs and investment deals. He described the UK-China relationship as being in a “good, strong place” and emphasised the need for a “more sophisticated” approach.
Responding to Trump’s comments, Starmer said it would be unwise for the UK to “stick its head in the sand” given China’s status as the world’s second-largest economy and the UK’s third-largest trading partner. Trade minister Chris Bryant directly contradicted the US president, stating he was “wrong” and noting Trump’s own planned visit to China in April.
The British Chamber of Commerce in China called the visit “successful”, while Starmer later travelled to Shanghai before heading to Tokyo for talks with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. The trip comes amid Trump’s unpredictable tariff threats and controversial statements on Greenland, which have unsettled traditional US allies.
Before the visit, Starmer insisted Britain would not have to choose between the US and China. However, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick expressed scepticism, saying Chinese export practices make trade difficult and warning that Starmer’s efforts were “unlikely” to yield significant results.
