A minister today dismissed Donald Trump‘s warning that over Keir Starmer‘s ‘very dangerous’ efforts to develop closer ties with China.
In a blow to the Prime Minister, the US President hit out at his attempts to improve relations with Beijing on his landmark trip this week.
It comes after they clashed over Mr Trump’s vow to take over Greenland and the contribution made by NATO troops in Afghanistan.
However, touring broadcast studios this morning, trade minister Chris Bryant pointed out that Mr Trump was planning to visit China himself.
He suggested that following Mr Trump’s advice and refusing to engage with China would be ‘absolutely bonkers’ as it was a ‘major power’.
Sources close to the PM stressed that the US was aware of the UK’s objectives for the trip in advance
The President made the comments while attending his wife Melania’s documentary premiere in Washington
Trump called Starmer’s efforts to develop closer ties with China as ‘very dangerous’
Mr Trump was asked at the premiere of the new documentary about his wife Melania what he thought ‘about the UK getting into business with China’ following Sir Keir’s lengthy talks with President Xi Jinping on Thursday that led to cuts to whisky tariffs and visa-free travel for Brits.
Mr Trump replied: ‘Well, it’s very dangerous for them to do that.’
He went on to repeat his criticism of Sir Keir’s ally Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada, for seeking a free trade deal with China.
‘It’s even more dangerous, I think, for Canada to get into business with China,’ President Trump told reporters.
‘Canada is not doing well. They’re doing very poorly, and you can’t look at China as the answer.’
But he added: ‘I know China very well. I know President Xi is a friend of mine.’
Asked by Sky News about the US president’s comments, Sir Chris said: ‘Well, he also said that President Xi (Jinping) is a friend of his and that he’s going to visit him in April.’
Sir Chris added: ‘I agree that you of course you have to go into your relationship with China with your eyes wide open.
‘You have to challenge China on the issues where we disagree with them and but you have to face the fact that China is a major power in the world.
‘It’s the second largest economy in the world, and it’s our fourth largest export market.
‘So it would be absolutely bonkers to the UK not to engage with China.’
Sir Keir had been asked on his way to Beijing if he was worried the trip to irritate the White House.
The PM had replied: ‘The relationship we have with the US is one of the closest relationships we hold, on defense, security, intelligence and also on trade and lots of areas.
‘We had a very successful state visit from President Trump last year which led to hundreds of billions of pounds being invested in each other’s economies so it’s a very important relationship.’
Sources stressed that the US was aware of the UK’s objectives for the trip in advance.
