 "Trump says 'very dangerous' for UK to strike a deal with China")
US President Donald Trump has said that it is “very dangerous” for Britain to strike a deal with China as countries look for alternative avenues owing to his decisive policies.
Talking about the China-UK business deals that were agreed upon after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in a historic visit to Beijing. The two sides have agreed to increase business and investment.
Talking about the deal during the premiere of a documentary about his wife, Melania, Trump said, “Well it’s very dangerous for them to do that.”
Leaders from France, Canada and Finland have flocked to Beijing in recent weeks, recoiling from Trump’s bid to seize Greenland and tariff threats against NATO allies.
‘Real progress’
Starmer met top Chinese leaders, including Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang on Thursday, with both sides highlighting the need for closer ties.
The British leader told business representatives from the UK and China on Friday morning that both sides had “warmly engaged” and “made some real progress”.
“The UK has got a huge amount to offer,” he said in a short speech at the UK-China Business Forum at the Bank of China.
What do the deals include?
Starmer and Xi signed a string of deals on Thursday that include visa-free travel for British passport holders visiting China for under 30 days.
With this, Britain has become the latest country to join others, including France, Germany, Australia and Japan, who have been granted visa-free travel.
The agreements signed also included cooperation on targeting supply chains used by migrant smugglers, as well as on British exports to China, health and strengthening a UK-China trade commission.
Quick Reads
View AllChina also agreed to reduce tariffs on British whisky to five per cent, down from 10 per cent, according to Downing Street.
With inputs from agencies
Xi told Starmer on Thursday that their countries should strengthen dialogue and cooperation in the context of a “complex and intertwined” international situation.
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