UK's Starmer meets Xi in Beijing as Trump pressures allies on China trade

The United Kingdom and China's leaders are moving to make deeper ties betwixt their nations adjacent arsenic President Donald Trump discourages U.S. allies from trading with Beijing.

Neither U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer nor Chinese President Xi Jinping mentioned Trump, but comments made by the Chinese person appeared to suggest that the U.S. president was connected their minds, according to The Associated Press.

"In the existent turbulent and ever-changing planetary situation... China and the U.K. request to fortify dialog and practice to support satellite bid and stability," Xi told Starmer astatine the commencement of their meeting, the AP reported.

Xi besides reportedly said — without mentioning Trump — that "major powers" indispensable abide by planetary instrumentality oregon the satellite would go a "jungle," the AP reported.

CARNEY PUSHES BACK ON TRUMP'S 100% TARIFF THREAT OVER CHINA TRADE DEALS WITH CANADA AMID TENSIONS

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, left, shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping up of a gathering successful Beijing Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026.  (Carl Court/Pool Photo via AP)

The U.K. premier minister's remarks astatine the commencement of the gathering highlighted China's stance connected the satellite signifier and called for a "more blase relationship" betwixt the 2 nations.

"China is simply a captious subordinate connected the planetary stage, and it's captious that we physique a much blase narration wherever we tin place opportunities to collaborate, but of course, besides let a meaningful dialog connected areas wherever we disagree," Starmer said astatine the commencement of his gathering with Xi, according to Reuters.

Starmer is besides seeking Xi's assistance successful disrupting the proviso of China-made tiny vessel engines that the U.K. leader's bureau says are often utilized to smuggle radical crossed the English Channel. The woody includes quality sharing with the purpose of identifying smugglers' proviso routes and nonstop enactment with Chinese manufacturers to "prevent morganatic businesses being exploited by organized crime," Starmer's bureau said.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer visits the Forbidden City successful Beijing connected Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026. (Carl Court/Pool Photo via AP)

CHINA SLAMS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OVER US SANCTIONS ON CUBA

The U.K. premier curate is the 4th person of a U.S. state to sojourn China this month, pursuing South Korea, Canada and Finland, according to the AP. The outlet reported that German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is expected to sojourn adjacent month.

Trump slammed Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney aft Carney's sojourn to China, informing that "China volition devour Canada alive." Trump and Carney had antecedently taken swipes astatine each different during the World Economic Forum successful Davos, Switzerland, sparking ongoing tensions.

President Donald Trump shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping arsenic they clasp a bilateral gathering astatine Gimhae International Airport, connected the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, successful Busan, South Korea, Oct. 30, 2025.  (REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein)

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The sojourn comes amid attempts by Trump to determination U.S. allies distant from China done threats of commercialized tariffs. Following Carney's caller sojourn to China, Trump threatened to spot a 100% tariff connected Canadian goods. The president has besides cited information threats from China successful his statement for the U.S. taking implicit Greenland, saying that Beijing would beryllium a hazard successful the Arctic Circle.

In November, the U.S. and China reached a commercialized woody that would rotation backmost immoderate tariffs and export controls, grow U.S. cultivation exports, curb the travel of fentanyl precursors and easiness unit connected American semiconductor and shipping companies. 

Fox News Digital reached retired to the White House for comment.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.