Following Prime Minister Keir Starmer's arrival in Shanghai, President Donald Trump has stated that it is very dangerous for the United Kingdom to do 'business' or make deals with China.
Trump referred to Xi as a “friend” and said he knew the Chinese president “very well.” In response to Trump’s remarks, Downing Street indicated that Washington had been aware of the trip and its objectives in advance.
It was also emphasized that the American president himself would visit China in April.
The US President was asked by a journalist, "What do you think about the United Kingdom entering into a business relationship with China?"
Beyond his brief remarks, Trump did not elaborate on the UK’s engagement with China, focusing instead on Canada and issuing a similar warning.
He said it was “even more dangerous for Canada.”
“Canada is not doing well. It’s doing very badly and you can’t look to China as the answer,” he added.
Earlier this week, the US president threatened to impose tariffs on Canada if it continued with economic deals reached with China during a recent visit to Beijing by its prime minister, Mark Carney.
The comments come after Starmer said the UK’s relationship with China was good and strong following his talks with Xi.
So far, several outcomes have emerged from Keir Starmer's trip, including a deal on visa-free travel and lower tariffs on whisky, as well as a £10.9bn investment by AstraZeneca to build manufacturing facilities in China.
Agreements for further cooperation in other areas, such as organised crime and illegal immigration, were also announced.
The US was the UK's largest trading partner in 2025, while China was the fourth largest, according to the Department for Business and Trade.
