WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said Thursday it was "very dangerous" for close ally Britain to deal with China, as UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer visits Beijing for talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
Trump made the remarks to reporters while attending the premiere of a documentary about his wife, First Lady Melania Trump.
Asked by reporters for his reaction to Britain "getting into business" with China, the president said: "Well, it's very dangerous for them to do that."
China's foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told reporters on Friday who asked about Trump's comments that "China is willing to strengthen cooperation with all countries in the spirit of mutual benefit and win-win results".
Starmer's visit to China is the first by a British premier since 2018 and follows a slew of Western leaders seeking a rapprochement with Beijing recently, seen by many as a pivot from an increasingly unpredictable United States.
On Thursday, Starmer met with Xi and other Chinese officials, and signed several cooperation agreements.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney also visited China this month and reached agreements on trade and tourism.
Trump responded by threatening to hit Canadian imports with 100-percent tariffs if Carney made further deals with Beijing -- a threat the Canadian leader later dismissed as a negotiating tactic.
Trump, after remarking Thursday on Britain, added: "It's even more dangerous, I think, for Canada 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."