US President Donald Trump has warned that Britain’s efforts to deepen economic ties with China are “very dangerous,” as Prime Minister Keir Starmer defended his government’s decision to reset relations with Beijing during a high-profile visit to the country.
Trump made the remarks in Washington while responding to questions from reporters about Starmer’s China trip, speaking ahead of the premiere of the Melania film at the Kennedy Center. He did not elaborate on his comments.
“Well, it’s very dangerous for them to do that,” Trump said, referring to Britain’s growing engagement with China.
Starmer is the latest Western leader to travel to Beijing at a time when allies are grappling with Trump’s unpredictable foreign policy posture. His visit comes amid renewed US threats of trade tariffs and broader geopolitical tensions.
During three-hour talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday, Starmer called for a “more sophisticated relationship” between the two countries, pushing for improved market access, lower tariffs and new investment agreements. The British prime minister said discussions ranged from trade to culture, including football and Shakespeare.
Around the time Trump issued his warning, Starmer addressed the UK–China Business Forum in Beijing, describing his meetings with Xi as “very warm” and saying they had delivered “real progress.”
He pointed to agreements on visa-free travel and reduced tariffs on British whisky as “really important access, symbolic of what we’re doing with the relationship.”
“That is the way that we build the mutual trust and respect that is so important,” Starmer said.
Before travelling on to Shanghai, Starmer met senior Chinese business leaders, including Yin Tongyue, chief executive of carmaker Chery. During the visit, a local official said Chery plans to open a research and development centre for its commercial vehicle division in Liverpool.
Starmer’s Labour government, which has struggled to deliver the economic growth it promised, has made strengthening ties with the world’s second-largest economy a key priority.
The visit also comes as Trump prepares for his own trip to China in April. Last week, the US president threatened to impose tariffs on Canada after Prime Minister Mark Carney struck economic agreements with Beijing during a recent visit.
Trump’s administration has also taken a hard line publicly. The Republican-led US House Foreign Affairs Committee warned on social media that “China sells nothing but cheap products and cheap friendships.”
US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick echoed that scepticism, questioning whether Britain would benefit from closer trade ties with Beijing.
“The Chinese are the greatest exporters and they are very, very difficult when you’re trying to export to them,” Lutnick said. “So good luck if the British are trying to export to China … it’s just unlikely.”
Asked whether Britain could face US tariffs similar to Canada’s, Lutnick said such action was unlikely unless London openly challenged Washington.
“Unless the prime minister of Britain sort of takes on the United States and says very difficult things, I doubt it,” he said.
Despite the criticism, Starmer insisted Britain could maintain strong ties with both Washington and Beijing. Speaking to reporters aboard his flight to China, he said the UK’s relationship with the United States remained one of its closest.
“The relationship we have with the United States is one of the closest … we hold,” Starmer said, citing defence, security, intelligence and trade cooperation.
He added that Britain would not be forced to choose between the two powers, noting Trump’s visit to the UK in September, which unveiled £150 billion in US investment.
A British government official said Washington was given advance notice of the objectives of Starmer’s China visit, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter. Neither Downing Street nor China’s foreign ministry immediately responded to requests for comment.
In recent weeks, Starmer—who usually avoids direct criticism of Trump—has adopted a firmer tone. He urged the US president to apologise for what he described as “frankly appalling” remarks suggesting some NATO troops avoided frontline combat and said he would not bow to demands to annex Greenland.
Other European leaders are also increasing engagement with Beijing. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is expected to visit China soon, following trips by Carney and French President Emmanuel Macron, who accompanied Xi on a rare visit outside Beijing in December.
As global trade tensions mount, Britain’s balancing act between its closest ally and a critical economic partner is set to face growing scrutiny.
Boluwatife Enome
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