Trump Warns Starmer Over China Visit – SA Should Take Note

American President Donald Trump has warned that it is “very dangerous” for the United Kingdom (UK) to do business with China.

This comes as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer continued a high-level visit to China aimed at deepening trade and investment ties.

Trump made the remarks while attending a film premiere in the United States (US) at the end of last month, responding to questions about agreements announced after Starmer met Chinese President Xi Jinping. While calling Xi a friend and saying he knows him very well, Trump cautioned that closer economic engagement with China carried serious risks. He issued similar warnings about Canada and has previously threatened tariffs against countries pursuing major economic deals with Beijing.

This latest broadside from Trump against a key American ally should make policymakers in Pretoria take notice. The warning is not really about Britain at all. It is about how Trump thinks leverage works and about his willingness to use it, even against partners, when he believes the US is being outflanked or taken for granted. For South Africa, that matters because Washington policy circles have already moved past the old assumption that Pretoria is automatically on America’s side.

The practical implication is that if Trump is prepared to put Britain on notice over China, South Africa should expect even less indulgence.

In that context, Pretoria cannot assume it can keep acting the way it does without cost. Trump’s message to Starmer is that, in his world, economic ties are not just commerce. They are alignment.

However, the UK government pushed back strongly against Trump’s remarks. Business Minister Sir Chris Bryant said it would be “bonkers” for Britain to ignore China’s presence on the world stage. Downing Street also said Washington had been informed about the visit and its objectives in advance.

Opposition MPs in the UK criticised the visit, warning of national security risks and pointing to China’s human rights record. The British government said intelligence agencies were closely involved in managing any risks associated with the engagement.