US President Donald Trump warned that the United Kingdom doing business with China is "very dangerous" as Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in Shanghai on the third day of his official visit to China. This statement came after Britain and China announced agreements to boost trade and investment following talks between Starmer and President Xi Jinping.
US President Donald Trump gave an interview at the premiere of a documentary about his wife, Melania Trump. When asked about the UK expanding business cooperation with China, Trump briefly replied it was "very dangerous," adding that Canada's situation is "even more dangerous" because its economy is deteriorating, and turning to China is not the right solution.
This warning followed Sir Keir Starmer's meeting with President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, where Starmer said relations between the UK and China are "good and strong." Trump also referred to Xi Jinping as a "friend" he knows well and previously threatened to impose tariffs on Canada if it proceeded with economic agreements made with China.
On his first visit to China by a UK leader since 2018, Starmer announced several achievements, including AstraZeneca's plan to invest £10.9 billion (approximately 470 billion baht) to establish a production base in China. The agreements also include visa exemptions, reduced import taxes on whisky, and cooperation on transnational crime and illegal immigration.
Starmer confirmed that this meeting represented the level of cooperation expected and said the UK has much to offer China. However, figures from the Department for Business and Trade show that in 2025, the US remains the UK's top trading partner, with China ranking fourth.
The trip has faced political challenges at home, with opposition MPs and Conservative shadow ministers accusing Starmer of "bowing to Xi Jinping" and trading national security for "economic scraps."
Criticism has focused on issues such as human rights abuses against Uyghurs in Xinjiang, the case of Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai facing a life sentence, and the approval for China to build a large new embassy in London. The Security Minister has confirmed that intelligence agencies have assessed and appropriately managed the risks involved.
Sir Keir Starmer has now arrived in Shanghai, the last destination in China before flying to Tokyo to join a dinner with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to further strengthen cooperation.
/sourceBBC