Trump warns Britain over China ties as Starmer pushes economic reset

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has warned Britain against deepening business ties with China, calling the move “very dangerous,” as Prime Minister Keir Starmer highlighted the economic benefits of resetting relations with Beijing during a visit to China on Friday.

Trump made the remarks in Washington while responding to questions about Starmer’s outreach to China, speaking to reporters ahead of the premiere of the film Melania at the Kennedy Centre. He did not elaborate on the warning.

Starmer, the latest Western leader to visit China amid growing uncertainty over Trump’s foreign policy, held three-hour talks with President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday. The British leader called for a “more sophisticated relationship,” seeking improved market access, lower tariffs and new investment opportunities, while also touching on cultural topics including football and Shakespeare.

Tensions surfaced as Trump’s comments came days after he threatened tariffs on Canada following Prime Minister Mark Carney’s recent economic agreements with Beijing. Trump is expected to travel to China himself in April.

Responding to Trump’s remarks, British trade minister Chris Bryant said the US president was “wrong” to describe the UK’s engagement with China as dangerous. Speaking to the BBC, Bryant said Britain was entering the relationship “with eyes wide open.”

At the UK-China Business Forum in Beijing, Starmer said his meetings with Xi had resulted in “real progress,” citing agreements on visa-free travel and reduced whisky tariffs as important steps in rebuilding ties.

“These are really important access points, symbolic of what we’re doing with the relationship,” Starmer said, adding that mutual trust and respect were essential.

During his visit, Starmer also met Chinese business leaders, including Yin Tongyue, chief executive of carmaker Chery, which plans to open a research and development centre for its commercial vehicle arm in Liverpool, according to a city official.

Starmer’s Labour government has struggled to deliver rapid economic growth since taking office in July 2024 and has prioritised improving relations with China, the world’s second-largest economy.

The visit comes as Trump’s shifting stance on trade and foreign policy, including repeated tariff threats and statements about Greenland, have unsettled long-standing US allies.

Speaking to reporters while travelling to China, Starmer said Britain did not have to choose between the United States and China, stressing London’s close ties with Washington in defence, security, intelligence and trade.

He also pointed to Trump’s September visit to Britain, during which £150 billion in US investment was announced. A British government official said Washington had been informed in advance about Starmer’s objectives for the China trip.

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While Starmer typically avoids direct criticism of Trump, he has taken a firmer tone in recent weeks, urging Trump to apologise for comments about Nato forces and rejecting any suggestion that Britain would support US demands regarding Greenland.

Meanwhile, scepticism about China engagement remains strong in Washington. The Republican-led US House Foreign Affairs Committee said on X that China offered “cheap products and cheap friendships.”

US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick also cast doubt on the economic value of closer UK-China ties, saying China was a difficult export market. Asked whether Britain could face tariffs similar to Canada, Lutnick said this was unlikely unless London took a confrontational stance toward Washington.