Trump warns U.K. about business with China after Starmer-Xi talks

Trump cautions the U.K. against business ties with China following Starmer's discussions with Xi Jinping on economic relations.

U.S. President Donald Trump has warned ​the United Kingdom against getting into business with China ‌after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Chinese ​leader Xi Jinping hailed a reset in relations.

With Western leaders reeling from the unpredictability of Mr. Trump, Mr. Starmer became the latest to head to China, where he called for a "more sophisticated relationship" with improved market access, lower tariffs and investment deals in three-hours of talks with Mr. Xi on Thursday (January 29, 2026).

During the premiere of ​the "Melania" film at the Kennedy Centre, Mr. Trump was asked about ⁠the U.K. pledging greater business cooperation with China, and he told reporters: "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."

Mr. Starmer, whose centre-left Labour government has struggled to deliver the economic growth it promised, has made improving relations with the world's second-largest economy a priority.

His visit ‌comes amid Mr. Trump's on-off threats of trade tariffs and ‌pledges to grab control of Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, which have rattled long-standing U.S. allies, such ‍as Britain.

Mr. Starmer told reporters on the plane on the way to China that Britain could continue to strengthen economic ties with ‍China — without angering Mr. Trump — because of his country's long history of working closely with the United States.