President Donald Trump has launched a blistering attack on Sir Keir Starmer over the Prime Minister’s decision to visit China in a bid to reset relations with Beijing.
The Republican criticised Britain’s push for closer ties with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) ahead of the premiere of the Melania documentary at the Trump-Kennedy Centre on Thursday evening.
When asked by a reporter to comment on Sir Keir’s efforts, Mr Trump said it was “very dangerous for them to do that”.
The Prime Minister’s three-day visit to China comes less than two weeks after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney embarked on a similar diplomatic mission.
Mr Carney’s trip – the first by a Canadian leader in more than a decade – resulted in a deal to ease tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, with Beijing agreeing to lower retaliatory tariffs on key Canadian agricultural products in return.
After signing the agreement, Mr Carney said Canada was positioned “well for the new world order” and claimed Ottawa’s relationship with Beijing was now “more predictable” than its ties with Washington.
Commenting on the deal, Mr Trump said: “It’s even more dangerous, I think, for Canada [than the UK] to get into business with China.
“Canada is not doing well. They’re doing very poorly, and you can’t look at China as the answer.”
Mr Trump described the Prime Minister’s trip as ‘very dangerous’
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The President added: “I know China very well. I know President Xi is a friend of mine. I know him very well.
“But that’s a big hurdle to go over when you get Canada.”
Ahead of talks in the Great Hall of the People on Thursday, Sir Keir told the Chinese President that Britain was seeking a “broader, deeper and more sophisticated” relationship between the two countries.
He added: “It is with the British people in mind that I am here today. I made the promise 18 months ago when we were elected into government that I would make Britain face outwards again.”
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Sir Keir later hailed the talks with President Xi as ‘very warm’
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PAPresident Xi said stronger ties between London and Beijing were “imperative” for world peace, adding that both leaders would “stand the test of history” if they could “rise above differences”.
Sir Keir later hailed the talks as “very warm, very good meetings”, describing them as “just the level of engagement that we hoped for”.
The Prime Minister also secured an agreement allowing British citizens to travel to China for up to 30 days without a visa.
Sir Keir said the move would make it easier for British businesses to expand in China, while opening the door for more tourists.
The Prime Minister secured an agreement allowing British citizens to travel to China for up to 30 days visa-free
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“As one of the world’s economic powerhouses, businesses have been crying out for ways to grow their footprints in China,” he said.
The visit also delivered an agreement to halve import taxes on British whiskey, cutting them from 10 per cent to 5 per cent.
Sir Keir’s visit to Beijing comes just days after Labour approved plans for China’s controversial new “super embassy” in central London.
Critics had urged the Government to block the move over security fears, warning the site could be exploited by the CCP for spying operations in Britain.