Washington: US President Donald Trump has warned that it is “very dangerous” for the United Kingdom to deepen business ties with China, responding to agreements aimed at boosting trade and investment announced during Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s visit to the country.

Trump made the remarks while speaking at the premiere of a documentary about his wife, Melania Trump. Referring to Chinese President Xi Jinping as a “friend,” Trump said he knew the Chinese leader “very well,” but cautioned Western nations against viewing China as an economic answer.

Starmer arrived in Shanghai on Friday, marking the third day of his visit and becoming the first British prime minister to travel to China since 2018. The visit comes amid renewed efforts by several Western leaders to re-engage with Beijing, a shift many observers see as a response to increasing uncertainty in relations with the United States.

In response to Trump’s comments, Downing Street said the White House had been informed in advance about Starmer’s visit and its objectives, noting that Trump himself is expected to visit China in April.

The British prime minister has brought more than 50 business leaders on the trip as part of efforts to expand opportunities for UK firms in the world’s second-largest economy. Speaking in Beijing, Starmer said he had held “very good meetings” with President Xi that provided “just the level of engagement that we hoped for.”

“We warmly engaged and made some real progress, actually, because the UK has got a huge amount to offer,” Starmer said during a visit to the Bank of China.

Trump also criticised Canada’s engagement with China after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney visited Beijing in mid-January and reached agreements on trade and tourism. Trump later threatened to impose 100% tariffs on Canadian imports if further deals were made - a warning Carney dismissed as a negotiating tactic.

“It’s even more dangerous, I think, for Canada to get into business with China,” Trump said. “Canada is not doing well, and you can’t look at China as the answer.”