WASHINGTON/BEIJING – President Donald Trump didn’t mince words. He told Britain straight out: getting too close to China on trade is “very dangerous.” Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer was in Beijing, trying to hit the reset button with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Trump, talking to reporters in Washington, said he sees big risks if Britain cozies up to China. He made his comments just as Starmer wrapped up hours of talks with Xi their meeting ran three hours at the Great Hall of the People. Starmer wanted better market access, lower tariffs, more investment, and, honestly, a fresh start.
The two leaders talked business, but they didn’t stop there. UK officials said they also touched on cultural stuff sports, books, that kind of thing.
Later, speaking to the UK-China Business Forum, Starmer sounded upbeat. He called his talks with Xi “very warm” and said the level of engagement was exactly what he’d hoped for. “Britain has a huge amount to offer,” he told the crowd.
He pointed to early wins: visa-free travel and lower tariffs on whisky. Not exactly earth-shattering, but, as Starmer put it, important steps in rebuilding trust.
Trump, for his part, isn’t backing down from his tough stance on China. He’s planning his own trip to Beijing in April. Just last week, he threatened tariffs on Canada when Prime Minister Mark Carney signed off on new deals with China.
US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick sounded less than impressed with Britain’s efforts. He said it’s doubtful this outreach will change much, given how tough it’s always been for foreign companies to crack the Chinese market.
Starmer pushed back on the idea that Britain has to pick sides. He said the UK’s relationship with the US on defense, security, intelligence, and trade remains rock solid.
Starmer’s visit comes at a tricky time. US allies are feeling uneasy about Trump’s unpredictable trade moves and off-the-cuff geopolitical comments. Leaders like France’s Emmanuel Macron have started warming up to Beijing too, looking for some balance.
And while Starmer usually keeps his criticism of Trump private, lately he’s been more direct. He called for Trump to apologize for his NATO comments and flat-out rejected the idea of giving in to US demands over Greenland.
