- Trump shifted focus to Canada, warning that doing business with China could be “even more dangerous
- Meanwhile, Starmer described UK-China relations as being in a “good, strong place”
- The UK and China also agreed to cooperate on tackling organised crime and illegal immigration
US President Donald Trump has described the United Kingdom’s growing business ties with China as “very dangerous,” coinciding with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s visit to Shanghai on the third day of his official trip.
Eko Hot Blog reports that during the premiere of a documentary about his wife, Melania, on Thursday, Trump, calling Chinese President Xi Jinping a “friend” whom he knew “very well,” voiced concern over the UK’s economic agreements with China following Starmer’s meeting with Xi in Beijing.
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UK Business Minister Sir Chris Bryant dismissed Trump’s warning, calling it “wrong” and adding that it would be “bonkers” for the UK to ignore China’s global influence. He emphasised that the UK engages with China “with our eyes wide open” and highlighted that Trump himself is expected to visit China in April.
Downing Street also noted that Washington was informed in advance about the objectives of Starmer’s trip.
During his brief comments, Trump shifted focus to Canada, warning that doing business with China could be “even more dangerous” for Ottawa. The former president has previously threatened tariffs on Canada over economic deals with Beijing.
Meanwhile, Starmer described UK-China relations as being in a “good, strong place” following his discussions at the Great Hall of the People. Speaking at the UK-China Business Forum at the Bank of China in Beijing, he said the meetings had provided “just the level of engagement we hoped for” and allowed the UK to highlight its economic strengths.
Several agreements emerged from the visit, including visa-free travel, reduced whisky tariffs, and a £10.9 billion investment by AstraZeneca to build manufacturing facilities in China.
The UK and China also agreed to cooperate on tackling organised crime and illegal immigration, sharing intelligence to track people-smuggling routes, some of which involve Chinese-made inflatable dinghies.
Other deals cover streamlining regulations for UK exporters and joint initiatives to address global health issues such as antimicrobial resistance.
Chris Torrens, chair of the British Chamber of Commerce in China, described Starmer’s visit as “successful,” noting that China remains one of the UK’s largest trading partners. He added that other Western leaders have similarly engaged Beijing, despite US criticism of deals between China and other nations.
Starmer arrived in Shanghai on Friday, completing the final leg of his China visit before heading to Tokyo to meet Japanese counterpart Sanae Takaichi.
However, the trip has faced criticism at home, with opposition MPs questioning the national security risks and highlighting Xi’s human rights record. China has been accused by the UN of serious abuses against the Uyghur population and other mostly Muslim ethnic groups, and for the treatment of Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp argued that Starmer had “kowtowed to President Xi” and suggested the government was trading national security for economic gains.
Security Minister Dan Jarvis, however, defended the trip, stating that intelligence agencies had been central to the decision-making process and that risks were being appropriately managed.
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