Trump warns UK-China ties ‘very dangerous’ as UK PM Starmer visits China

New Delhi, Jan 30: US President Donald Trump has described it as “very dangerous” for the United Kingdom to pursue business ties with China, comments that came as UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer arrived in Shanghai on the third day of his visit to China, the BBC reported. Trump’s remarks were made at the premiere of a documentary about his wife, Melania, when a reporter asked him about the UK’s growing economic engagement with China following Sir Keir’s meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Trump, while referring to Xi as a “friend” whom he knows “very well,” also issued a similar warning about Canada, calling it “even more dangerous” for Ottawa to deepen ties with Beijing.

Reacting to Trump’s comments, UK business minister Sir Chris Bryant told the BBC that the US president was “wrong” and said it would be “bonkers frankly for the UK to ignore the presence of China on the world stage.” “Of course, we enter into our relationship with China with our eyes wide open,” he added. The minister also noted that Trump is expected to visit China in April. Downing Street highlighted that Washington had been informed about Sir Keir’s trip and its objectives in advance.

Sir Keir’s China visit has already yielded several agreements, including visa-free travel arrangements, reduced tariffs on whisky, and a £10.9 billion investment by AstraZeneca to build manufacturing facilities in China. Deals were also struck on intelligence sharing to combat organised crime and illegal immigration, cooperation to reduce red tape for UK exporters, and joint work on health challenges like antimicrobial resistance. Addressing the UK-China Business Forum in Beijing, Sir Keir described his talks with President Xi as providing the “level of engagement that we hoped for,” saying the UK had “a huge amount to offer.” While the US remains the UK’s largest single-country trading partner, China was the fourth largest as of 2025.  However, the visit has drawn criticism at home. Opposition MPs voiced concerns about national security risks and China’s human rights record, including accusations of violations against Uyghurs and treatment of pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai. Shadow home secretary Chris Philp accused Sir Keir of “kowtowing to President Xi,” while the government maintained that intelligence agencies were closely involved in decisions, including the approval of China’s new embassy in London.