Britain’s Starmer Seeks to Strengthen China Ties Despite Trump Warning

Visiting Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Friday that Britain has a “huge amount to offer” China, brushing aside warnings from US President Donald Trump over closer UK-China ties.

Starmer’s visit is the first by a British prime minister to China in eight years and comes as several Western leaders seek to diversify partnerships amid growing uncertainty in relations with Washington.

Leaders from France, Canada and Finland have visited Beijing in recent weeks, partly in response to Trump’s territorial claims over Greenland and tariff threats against NATO allies.

Trump said on Thursday it was “very dangerous” for Britain to engage with China. Starmer dismissed the warning, noting that Trump himself was expected to visit China in coming months.

“The US and the UK are very close allies,” Starmer told UK television. “That’s why we discussed the visit with his team beforehand. But China is the second-largest economy in the world, and it would be unwise to ignore that.”

China’s foreign ministry said it was willing to strengthen cooperation with all countries on the basis of mutual benefit.

Starmer met President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang in Beijing on Thursday, with both sides calling for closer engagement. He later told business leaders that discussions had been productive and that “real progress” had been made.

Speaking at the UK-China Business Forum, Starmer said the meetings had met expectations and highlighted Britain’s economic strengths.

During the visit, the two sides signed a series of agreements, including a proposal for visa-free travel for British citizens visiting China for up to 30 days. While Downing Street announced the deal, Starmer said no start date had been set. Beijing said it was still completing the necessary procedures.

Starmer described the agreements as symbolic of improving relations. He also said China had lifted sanctions imposed in 2021 on UK lawmakers over criticism of alleged human rights abuses against Uyghur Muslims.

China also agreed to cut tariffs on British whisky to five percent and to cooperate with Britain on migrant smuggling networks, health initiatives, exports and trade regulation.

The UK government said British firms secured £2.2 billion in export deals, £2.3 billion in improved market access over five years, and hundreds of millions of pounds in new investment.

President Xi told Starmer that stronger dialogue was needed in a “complex and intertwined” global environment.

Relations between London and Beijing deteriorated after 2020, following China’s imposition of a national security law in Hong Kong. Despite this, China remains Britain’s third-largest trading partner, and Starmer hopes closer ties will support his economic growth agenda.

During the trip, pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca announced plans to invest $15 billion in China by 2030. Chinese toy company Pop Mart said it would establish a regional hub in London and open new stores across Europe.

Starmer later travelled to Shanghai, where he met students at a joint UK-China education institute. He is scheduled to conclude his Asia tour with a visit to Japan on Saturday, where he will meet Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.