"Dangerous for You to do That!" Trump Warns UK Over China Deal

U.S. President Donald Trump publicly warned Britain against expanding business ties with China as UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer sought to reset relations during a three-day visit to Beijing and Shanghai beginning Jan 27. The contrasting messages underscored widening tactical differences among Western allies over how to engage the world’s second-largest economy amid trade friction, security concerns, and shifting global alignments.

Speaking in Washington, Trump responded to a reporter’s question on Britain’s outreach to Beijing by saying, “It’s very dangerous for them to do that, and it’s even more dangerous for Canada to get into business with China.”

He added, “You can’t look at China as the answer,” extending his warning to Ottawa in characteristically blunt terms.

The comments came as Starmer held extended talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping and addressed business leaders in the Chinese capital, a trip that was conducted defying Trump’s warning to European leaders amid strained ties on Greenland sovereignty.

Tariff as Coersive Diplomacy

Trump’s remarks were delivered ahead of the premiere of the film Melania at the Kennedy Center and followed a pattern of sharp criticism and tariff coersion of allies engaging Beijing.

On Jan 24, Trump warned Canada that if Prime Minister Mark Carney sought to make the country a “drop off port” for Chinese goods entering the United States, it would face immediate retaliation. “If Canada makes a deal with China, it will immediately be hit with a 100% Tariff against all Canadian goods and products coming into the U.S.A.,” Trump said, adding that China will “eat Canada alive.”

Trump also referenced Canada’s domestic culture in an offhand remark, saying China’s leverage would extend to unexpected areas. “The first thing they’re going to do is say you’re not allowed to play ice hockey anymore,” he said.

His administration has repeatedly framed China ties by allies as economic and national security risks.

Reset With Eyes Open

In Beijing, Starmer struck a markedly different tone. After three-hour talks with Xi Jinping on Thursday, he called for a “more sophisticated relationship,” seeking improved market access, lower tariffs, and new investment flows.

Addressing the UK-China Business Forum, Starmer described his meetings with Xi as “very warm” and said they had delivered “real progress,” citing agreements on visa-free travel and reduced whisky tariffs.

Starmer also met senior Chinese executives, including Chery CEO Yin Tongyue, as the automaker plans to open a research and development center for its commercial vehicle arm in Liverpool, according to a city official.

The Labour government, in power since July 2024, has made economic growth a priority after struggling to deliver early gains, and sees selective engagement with China as part of that strategy.

Response to Trump’s Latest Warning

British officials moved quickly to push back on Trump’s characterization. Trade minister Chris Bryant said Trump was “wrong” and emphasized that London was engaging Beijing “with eyes wide open.”

Starmer himself stressed that closer China ties did not come at the expense of the United States, pointing to defense, security, intelligence cooperation, and a September visit by Trump that unveiled £150 billion in U.S. investment into Britain.

A British official said Washington had advance notice of Starmer’s objectives, reflecting efforts to manage alliance sensitivities.

Still, the episode highlights the pressure on U.S. allies navigating between Washington’s increasingly confrontational China policy and domestic economic imperatives.

With German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also expected to visit China and French President Emmanuel Macron having done so in December, Europe’s China debate is moving faster than transatlantic consensus.