Donald Trump said it was “very dangerous” for the UK to do business with China on Thursday as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer arrived in Shanghai on the third day of his visit. Trump’s remarks came after agreements were announced to boost trade and investment between the UK and China, following Starmer’s meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
US-UK-China Tensions Rise Amid Starmer’s Visit
Speaking at the premiere of a documentary about his wife Melania, Trump described Xi as a “friend” and said he knew the Chinese president “very well.” When asked about the UK going into business with China, Trump said it was very dangerous. Beyond that, he did not elaborate and instead pivoted to Canada, saying he thought it was “even more dangerous” for Canada. He said Canada is “not doing well” and “they’re doing very poorly,” adding that “you can’t look at China as the answer.”
UK business minister Sir Chris Bryant said Trump was wrong and that it would be “bonkers frankly” for the UK to ignore China on the world stage. He added that of course the UK enters into its relationship with China “with our eyes wide open.” Bryant also pointed out that Trump himself is due to visit China in April. Downing Street said Washington had been aware of Starmer’s trip and its objectives in advance.
Starmer Secures Trade Deals and Cooperation with China
Sir Keir Starmer said the UK-China relationship is in a “good, strong place” following his talks at the Great Hall of the People. He said the meetings were “very good” and provided “just the level of engagement we hoped for.” Outcomes include visa-free travel agreements, lower whisky tariffs, and a £10.9 billion investment by AstraZeneca to build manufacturing facilities in China. Agreements were also made to co-operate on tackling organised crime and illegal immigration, share intelligence on people-smuggling routes, reduce red tape for exporters, and collaborate on health issues such as antimicrobial resistance.
The UK was the US’s largest trading partner in 2025, while China was fourth. Chris Torrens, chair of the British Chamber of Commerce in China, called Starmer’s visit “successful,” saying it made sense for the UK to look at China, as one of its larger trading partners. He noted that other Western leaders have been or will be in Beijing soon.
Starmer arrived in Shanghai on Friday, his final stop in China before Tokyo. Opposition MPs criticised the visit over national security and Xi’s human rights record, including accusations of violations against Uyghurs and treatment of Hong Kong pro-democracy figures. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp accused Starmer of “kowtowing to President Xi” and trading “national security for economic crumbs.”
Security Minister Dan Jarvis said intelligence agencies were “integral” to decisions and that any risks were being managed appropriately.
Source: BBC News