Trump furious over UK's reset of relations with China. London talks about a “historic” breakthrough. “There's no point in burying your head in the sand”
Keir Starmer has called for a “more sophisticated” relationship between London and Beijing. “There is no point burying our heads in the sand when it comes to China. It is in our interest to engage and stand firm on national security issues, which is why We have managed to develop a coherent, comprehensive approach” – said the British Prime Minister.
Trump was asked about Britain's closer relations with Beijing at the premiere of the film “Melania” in Washington.
“It's very dangerous for them,” he said. He also spoke harshly about another country close to the US, clearly marking America's sphere of influence. Meanwhile, the British are making it elegantly clear that they do not intend to cower before Washington – and they have nothing against Xi Jinping's visit to London.
“In my opinion, it is even more dangerous for Canada to enter into a trade relationship with China. Canada is not doing well. It is doing very poorly and China cannot be seen as the solution,” the US president said.
The US president's warning came after the British prime minister's visit to Beijing, during which successes were achieved in the area of tariffs on whiskey and visa-free travel.
Starmer was at pains to emphasize that he would not choose between trade with the US and trade with China. In official statements, London points out that Trump himself is planning a visit to China in April and that the American president called Xi his friend.
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Starmer also compared his approach to that of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, whose visit to China this month — followed by a speech in Davos in which he announced the “collapse” of the old world order — prompted Trump to threaten a new wave of tariffs on Ottawa. The US president criticized Carney most sharply, but also warned the UK against doing business with China.
A British government official said the United States was informed in advance of Starmer's trip and Britain's goals.
On Tuesday evening, during a flight to Beijing, Starmer fielded questions about whether his trip might irritate Trump. “Our relationship with the United States is one of the closest we have, both in defense, security, intelligence, trade and many other areas,” he said.
“Last year there was a very successful state visit by President Trump, which led to hundreds of billions of pounds being invested in the economies of both countries, so this is a very important relationship.”
Donald TrumpChip Somodevilla / Getty Images
Britain opens the door to Xi Jinping's visit
Keir Starmer's visit to China is not a “one-off summit”, the British government said. Britain opens doors to Xi Jinping's visit after… the Chinese leader announced warming relations between the two countries.
Asked about the prospect of a visit to the UK – his first in 11 years – Starmer's official spokesman told reporters: “I think the Prime Minister has made clear that resetting the relationship with China, which is no longer in a glacial phase, is to the benefit of the British people and British business.”
Xi made a full state visit to Britain in 2015 and visited the pub with then-Prime Minister David Cameron. It was a period that is now seen as the “golden era” of British-Chinese relations. Critics of China's stance on human rights and espionage call the trip one of the worst foreign policy decisions of the Cameron era.
Kemi Badenoch, leader of the opposition Conservative Party, said: “We should not roll out the red carpet in front of a country that conducts espionage activities in our country every day, disregards international trade rules and helps Putin in his senseless war with Ukraine. We need dialogue with China, we do not have to bow to them.”
All invitations to state visits will be issued on behalf of King Charles III by Buckingham Palace. There is no suggestion that a full state visit is being considered at this time.
Xi did not leave mainland China for over two years during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Starmer and Xi met at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Thursday and the two countries agreed to explore the “feasibility” of a partnership in the services sector.
Britain said it had signed a deal under which China would waive visa rules for British citizens visiting the country for business or tourism for periods of less than 30 days, putting the UK on par with countries such as France, Germany, Italy, Australia and Japan.
The two countries also promised cooperation on conformity assessment, exports, sports, fighting organized crime, vocational training and food safety, although further details were not immediately released. Starmer also praised “really good progress” in reducing Chinese tariffs on whisky.
One official familiar with the talks emphasized that Starmer also touched on more difficult issues, including the ongoing detention of British-Hong Kong democracy activist Jimmy Lai and China's position on the war in Ukraine, but declined to provide details of the conversation between the two sides.
The talks avoided more difficult topics such as wind farm technology, where critics fear cooperation would expose the UK to Chinese influence.
Asked whether Starmer had returned empty-handed, his spokesman replied: “I don't agree with that at all. I think this is a historic trip in which, for the first time in eight years, the Prime Minister has set foot on Chinese soil and held a top-level meeting with the president of the world's second largest economy. It is also important to note that this is not a matter of a one-off summit with China. It is a reset of a relationship that has been frozen for eight years.”
I’m Ashley Davis as an editor, I’m committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accuracy in every piece we publish. My work is driven by curiosity, a passion for truth, and a belief that journalism plays a crucial role in shaping public discourse. I strive to tell stories that not only inform but also inspire action and conversation.
