Donald Trump sends stern warning to Keir Starmer over ‘dangerous’ China meeting

US President Donald Trump has warned his country’s long-time ally that strengthening ties with China would be a ‘dangerous’ move for PM Keir Starmer

United States President Donald Trump warned it would be “dangerous” for the United Kingdom to do business with China.

Mr Trump’s warning comes on UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s final day of his visit to China in a moves to strengthen economic ties with Beijing. The Prime Minister met Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday, January 29 and said the UK desires a “more sophisticated” relationship between the two countries.

Asked by reporters early on Friday, January 30, about the UK’s bid to strengthen economic ties with the US economic rival, Mr Trump expressed disapproval.

“Well, it’s very dangerous for them to do that, and it’s even more dangerous, I think, for Canada to get into business with China,” he said.

“You can’t look at China as the answer,” he added.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney visited China earlier this months as the two countries sought closer economic ties. The two countries reached a preliminary agreement to cut tariffs on selected goods.

Mr Trump later threatened Canada with a 100% tariff on exports if the country entered into a free trade agreement with China. Mr Carney denied any such plans.

The US president on Thursday also said in a post on Truth Social that he will charge the US neighbour a 50% tariff on all aircrafts sold to his country after he said Canada has refused to certify several Gulfstream jets.

Sir Starmer will meet businesses in Beijing on Friday in a continued bid to bolster economic ties with the Asian country. He will later travel to Shanghai before leaving for Tokyo to meet his Japanese counterpart Sanae Takaichi for a working dinner.

Sir Starmer told Bloomberg ahead of his trip that he would not choose between Washington and Beijing.

“I’m often invited to simply choose between countries. I don’t do that,” he said.

“We’ve got very close relations with the US, of course we want to and we will maintain that business, alongside security and defence.”

“Equally, just sticking your head in the sand and ignoring China when it’s the second biggest economy in the world and there are business opportunities wouldn’t be sensible.”

Downing Street has also left the door open to a future visit to the UK by Mr Xi. The Chinese President’s last state visit to Britain was in October 2015.

The Prime Minister’s trip to China is the first by a UK leader since 2018.

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