US President Donald Trump has described it as “very dangerous” for the United Kingdom to engage in economic dealings with China, remarks made as Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited Shanghai on the third day of his official trip to the country.
Trump’s comments came after Starmer met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, resulting in several agreements aimed at boosting trade and investment between the UK and China. Speaking to reporters at the premiere of a documentary about his wife, Melania, Trump called Xi “a friend” and said he knew the Chinese leader “very well,” but warned of risks in UK–China business. He also criticized Canada, describing its position as “even more dangerous” following recent economic talks between Ottawa and Beijing.
Downing Street responded by noting that the US had been briefed on Starmer’s visit and its objectives in advance. Officials also highlighted that Trump is expected to visit China in April.
Starmer described UK–China relations as being in a “good, strong place” after talks at the Great Hall of the People. Speaking at a UK–China Business Forum hosted by the Bank of China, he said the meetings had delivered “just the level of engagement that we hoped for.” He added, “We warmly engaged and made some real progress. The UK has a huge amount to offer.”
Among the key outcomes of the visit were agreements to introduce visa-free travel for British visitors to China, a reduction in Chinese tariffs on UK whisky, and a £10.9 billion investment by AstraZeneca to build new manufacturing facilities in the country. The two sides also pledged further cooperation on issues including organized crime and illegal immigration.
According to the UK Department for Business and Trade, the United States was Britain’s largest single-country trading partner in 2025, with China ranking fourth. Chris Torrens, chair of the British Chamber of Commerce in China, described the visit as “successful” and said it was logical for the UK to engage with one of its major trading partners. He noted that several Western leaders had visited Beijing recently or were planning to do so, including Trump.
The trip has faced criticism from opposition MPs over national security and human rights concerns. China has been accused by the United Nations of serious human rights violations against Uyghur and other predominantly Muslim ethnic groups, and faced scrutiny over its treatment of Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp accused the government of “trading national security for economic crumbs,” while ministers emphasized that intelligence agencies were involved in assessing and managing potential risks.
Starmer’s visit is the first by a UK prime minister to China since 2018. After concluding engagements in Shanghai, he will travel to Tokyo to meet Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, reflecting the UK government’s broader strategy to strengthen economic and diplomatic ties across Asia.
