As UK Cozies Up to China, Trump Blasts Move as 'Very Dangerous'

President Trump is again warning US allies about getting too close to Beijing, this time as the United Kingdom leans in. As Prime Minister Keir Starmer wrapped up hours of talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing and praised "real progress" on trade, Trump told reporters in Washington it was "very dangerous" for Britain to deepen business ties with China, per Reuters. He didn't get into further detail on his comment, made ahead of the Kennedy Center premiere of the film Melania.

Starmer, whose Labour government has struggled to spark growth since taking office in 2024, is betting that a reset with the world's second-largest economy will help. He used a UK-China Business Forum speech to highlight visa-free travel deals and lower tariffs on whisky as early gains, calling them important symbols of a broader push for "mutual trust and respect." CNBC notes that pharma giant AstraZeneca, which is based in the UK, also plans to invest $15 billion in China through 2030.

A Beijing official says that during his visit, Starmer also met with executives, including the head of carmaker Chery, which plans a commercial-vehicle R&D center in Liverpool, per Reuters. London insists it isn't choosing Beijing over Washington. Starmer stressed that Britain's defense, security, intelligence, and trade ties with the US remain among its closest, and British officials say Washington was briefed in advance on his China agenda. The AP notes that the prime minister headed to Shanghai on Friday to continue to shore up business opportunities for UK companies.

Trump has recently threatened tariffs on Canada over its own outreach to Beijing. His commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick, was skeptical Britain would gain much from China, calling it a tough export market and wishing the British "good luck," per Reuters.