Sir Keir Starmer has brushed off criticism from Donald Trump as he announces China has agreed to lift sanctions on British MPs and peers with immediate effect.
The US president expressed disapproval of the prime minister’s trip to China in remarks to reporters early on Friday, adding he thought it was “even more dangerous... for Canada to get into business with China.”
“I’ve seen President Trump’s comments,” the prime minister told Sky News. “I think, to be fair, he was probably talking more about Canada than the United Kingdom.”
It comes as Sir Keir has struck a deal for Beijing to lift sanctions on parliamentarians, something he said had been “a cause of concern in Parliament” for some time.
The UK imposed sanctions on four Chinese officials and a state-run organisation involved in human rights abuses in Xinjiang province, including against the Uyghur Muslim minority. In response, in 2021, Beijing imposed sanctions on senior politicians including former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith and former security minister Tom Tugendhat.
The group of sanctioned parliamentarians said: “While British citizen Jimmy Lai remains imprisoned and Uyghurs continue to suffer atrocity crimes, we take no comfort in this decision and will not be silenced.”
Key Points
- Breaking: China to lift sanctions on British MPs and peers
- Starmer touches down in Shanghai for next leg of trip to China
- Farage claims Brits shouldn't do trade deals with China until Jimmy Lai is free
- Minister says it would be ‘bonkers’ for UK not to deal with China
- Sanctioned parliamentarians 'take no comfort' in decision as Jimmy Lai and Uyghur people suffer
- Trump warns it would be 'dangerous' for UK to do business with China
Badenoch 'wouldn't be surprised if sanctions go back' after visit
16:00 , Bryony GoochWhen asked about the lifting of sanctions on parliamentarians, Kemi Badenoch said: “Well, let’s see how long this lasts. I think that this is something that they have done so that the Chinese president can have a visit to Parliament.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if sanctions go back after that… we need to stop being naive and think that if we go on a visit and then they lift sanctions, everything is fine.”
Labour is “weak, and what they’ve done is just given China everything they want for absolutely nothing in return”, she added.
Dissident Ai Weiwei hits out at Western hypocrisy over raising human rights with China
15:40 , Bryony GoochChinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei has hit out at the West for hypocrisy and said it is not in a position to accuse China of human rights abuses due to its own dubious record.
Ai said he had previously insisted that Western leaders visiting China should openly denounce human rights abuses in China before agreeing to business deals.
“But today I changed my mind, completely,” he told Reuters. “The West (is) not even (in a) position to accuse China. (They must) just check on their record (of) what they did on international human rights, (their) freedom of speech record.”
Maira Butt reports:
Ai Weiwei hits out at Western hypocrisy over raising human rights with China
Watch: Keir Starmer hails 'historic' China visit
15:20 , Bryony GoochBadenoch criticises Starmer for 'giving China everything they want for nothing in return'
15:00 , Bryony GoochSir Keir Starmer has “given China everything they want” for “absolutely nothing in return”, Kemi Badenoch said.
The Tory leader also cast doubt on the move to lift sanctions on UK MPs and peers, suggesting that the Chinese government had done so to allow for Xi Jinping to visit Parliament and could reimpose them afterwards.
On a visit to the Welsh Senedd, she said: “Starmer’s visit to China was not in our national interest. He has gone there pretty much with a begging bowl, got pretty much nothing back.
“This is a country that even our security services have said is a threat to us. Of course, we trade with China, but what he has done has, in my view, weakened the UK in the eyes of China, and it was wrong for him to go.
“The US is our closest military ally and a key strategic partner. They are not a threat to the UK national security. China is who the threat to national security is, and we need to be very clear about that and not start getting confused.
“The president of the United States is one individual. Our relationship is with the country.
“What we’re seeing with Labour is an economic policy wholly dependent on China – wind turbines from China, solar panels from China, batteries for electric vehicles from China, while deindustrialising our own country.
“I think that’s completely wrong.”
Watch: China visa for UK holidaymakers could be dropped as early as Monday
14:40 , Bryony GoochEd Davey calls out Trump 'hypocrisy' over China
14:20 , Bryony GoochSir Ed Davey has decried Donald Trump’s warning that UK dealing with China could be “dangerous”, branding the US president “the most dangerous person at the moment”.
Asked whether he agreed with Donald Trump’s remarks, the Liberal Democrat leader said: “Donald Trump is a hypocrite because he’s going to China himself and he’s the most dangerous person at the moment with undermining Nato and undermining trade across the world. But it’s the Conservatives also who have got a real question to answer.
“They don’t want us to talk to China, they don’t want to do trade with Europe and now they realise that Trump’s America can’t be trusted because of the tariffs.
“I thought the Conservatives were for global Britain, they clearly aren’t. They don’t want to talk to anybody.”
Recap: MPs call on Starmer to raise Jimmy Lai
14:00 , Bryony GoochSir Keir Starmer has faced calls to raise the jailing of Hong Kong pro-democracy campaigner Jimmy Lai and the treatment of the Uighur minority with the Chinese leadership.
He said they had a “respectful discussion” on those issues, but both he and Downing Street refused to be drawn on details of discussions on contentious issues.
According to his son, 78-year-old British national Mr Lai has spent five years in solitary confinement in treatment which amounts to “torture” under Hong Kong’s new national security law.
The Tories have accused Sir Keir of “kowtowing” to Mr Xi, while the Liberal Democrats said the Government was approaching China from a “weak” position because of the lack of a UK-EU customs union.
Starmer brushes off Trump criticism, says he's talking more about Canada
13:40 , Bryony GoochSir Keir Starmer has brushed off comments by Donald Trump warning it was “dangerous” for the UK to do business with China, saying the president was “talking more about Canada”.
Mr Trump expressed disapproval of the Prime Minister’s trip to China in remarks to reporters early on Friday.
“Well, it’s very dangerous for them to do that, and it’s even more dangerous, I think, for Canada to get into business with China,” he said.
He added that Canada was doing “poorly” and said “you can’t look at China as the answer”.
But in broadcast interviews in Shanghai, Sir Keir said his visit had been “very successful”.
He told Sky News: “I’ve seen President Trump’s comments.
“I think, to be fair, he was probably talking more about Canada than the United Kingdom.”
Adding that the US and UK remained “very close allies”, he said his visit to China had been discussed with Mr Trump’s team beforehand and pointed to the president’s upcoming visit to the country in April.
Sanctioned parliamentarians 'take no comfort' in decision as Jimmy Lai and Uyghur people suffer
13:20 , Bryony GoochThe group of sanctioned parliamentarians said: “While British citizen Jimmy Lai remains imprisoned and Uyghurs continue to suffer atrocity crimes, we take no comfort in this decision and will not be silenced.
“We look forward to receiving urgent assurances from the government regarding those who were placed under sanction together with us, and take this opportunity to express our ongoing solidarity with the Uyghur people, whose cause we will not drop.
“We hope that the Prime Minister will meet all of those sanctioned, not just sitting parliamentarians, upon his return.”
Ed Davey: Government approaching China from 'weak' position because of Brexit
13:00 , Bryony GoochSir Ed Davey said the UK Government is approaching China from a “weak” position because of the lack of a British-EU customs union.
Asked whether he would welcome a visit from Xi Jinping to the UK, he said: “The Liberal Democrats believe we do need to talk to China, absolutely, but we also need to do that from a position of strength, which is where the current Labour Government is going wrong.
“If we had a new trading relationship with Europe, a customs union as the Liberal Democrats have argued, we’d be able talk to China about improving our economic relations but also to call China out for its human rights abuses – what it does to Hong Kongers, to the illegal detention of Jimmy Lai.
“These are the sorts of issues we should be raising, but I’m afraid this Government is so weak because it hasn’t got a European deal.”
Trump was aware of UK objectives in china, officials say
12:45 , Bryony GoochPolitical reporter Athena Stavrou reports:
Donald Trump was aware of Sir Keir Starmer’s trip and objectives in China ahead of his visit, UK officials have insisted.
The US president said early on Friday that it would be “dangerous” for the UK to do business with China, as the prime minister continues his efforts to bolster economic ties.
After the comments were made, UK officials insisted Trump was aware of the trip. It was also highlighted that the US president is planning his own trip to China in April.
Who is Jimmy Lai? British citizen and activist imprisoned by China
12:30 , Bryony Gooch
Who is Jimmy Lai? British citizen and activist imprisoned by China
Britain will not be lifting sanctions on Chinese officials in exchange
12:15 , Bryony GoochIt is understood that Britain will not be lifting restrictions in exchange as Sir Keir Starmer revealed that sanctions had been lifted on MPs and peers.
The UK imposed sanctions on four Chinese officials and a state-run organisation involved in human rights abuses in Xinjiang province, including against the Uighur Muslim minority.
The Chinese foreign ministry said: “The two sides agreed in principle to resume normal exchanges between the legislatures of the two countries.
“China welcomes British parliamentarians who have the willingness to visit China more and experience the real China.”
Sir Keir: Sanctioned MPs has been 'a cause of concern for some time'
12:10 , Bryony GoochSir Keir revealed the sanctions on MPs and peers had been lifted during a series of broadcast interviews in Shanghai, saying he had been “duty-bound” to raise the issue.
He told ITV News: “This has been a cause of concern in Parliament and for parliamentarians for some time and that is why I raised it on this visit.
“And the response from the Chinese is that the restrictions no longer apply and President Xi has told me that that means that all parliamentarians are welcome to visit.
“That underscores the point I’ve been making all along, which is if you engage, if you come and visit and have that leader-to-leader dialogue, you can not only take the opportunities which we have been taking, but also resolve some of the more difficult issues between our two countries.”
British politicians sanctioned by China refuse to be 'bargaining chip' for Sir Keir's negotiations with Beijing
12:10 , Bryony GoochBritish MPs and peers sanctioned by China have said their position should not be used as a “bargaining chip” in Sir Keir Starmer’s negotiations with Beijing.
The UK imposed sanctions on four Chinese officials and a state-run organisation involved in human rights abuses in Xinjiang province, including against the Uyghur Muslim minority.
In response, in 2021, Beijing imposed sanctions on senior politicians including former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith; former security minister Tom Tugendhat; Commons deputy speaker Nus Ghani; Tory MP Neil O’Brien; former MP Tim Loughton; and peers Lord Alton of Liverpool, and Baroness Kennedy of the Shaws.
In a joint statement, they said: “In response to rumours that Beijing is considering lifting sanctions on us in exchange for diplomatic and economic concessions, we wish to make our position unequivocally clear: we would rather remain under sanction indefinitely than have our status used as a bargaining chip to justify lifting British sanctions on those officials responsible for the genocide in Xinjiang.
“We would reject any deal that prioritises our personal convenience over the pursuit of justice for the Uyghur people.
“We stand in total solidarity with our families, former colleagues, and the civil society organisations who remain targeted by the People’s Republic of China.
“We will not accept any reprieve that applies only to sitting lawmakers while others, including civil society organisations, remain sanctioned.”
Breaking: China to lift sanctions on British MPs and peers
12:03 , Bryony GoochChina has agreed to lift sanctions on British MPs and peers with immediate effect, Sir Keir Starmer has said.
It comes as sanctioned politicians said they would rather main under sanction indefinitely than have their status used as a bargaining chip to justify lifting British sanctions on officials linked to human rights abuses against Uyghur people.
Issues Keir Starmer hopes to raise with the Chinese delegation
12:00 , Bryony GoochJimmy Lai and Hong Kong: 78-year-old British national Mr Lai remains behind bars. The media mogul was an influential voice in Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement and has been detained for more than five years under the territory’s national security law. The PM has said he raised the case with Xi Jinping, but no movement appears to have been made on his release.
The Uyghurs: The Muslim ethnic group from China’s north west Xinjiang province have reportedly suffered various human rights abuses at the hands of the Chinese government. Sir Keir said the Uyghurs were part of the “respectful discussion” on areas of disagreement he had with President Xi.
Security concerns: The No 10 delegation is not taking any chances when it comes to security. In a sign there are still concerns about potential Chinese state espionage, all are reported to have taken temporary “burner” phones with them on the trip, to avoid their technology being hacked by the Chinese authorities.
Starmer secures visa-free travel deal for Britons visiting China
11:40 , Bryony Gooch
Starmer secures visa-free travel deal for Britons visiting China
Farage claims Brits shouldn't do trade deals with Beijing until Jimmy Lai is free
11:25 , Bryony GoochNigel Farage said he was “very nervous” about China’s activity when asked if he agreed with US President Donald Trump’s remarks.
The Reform UK leader added that Britain should not be doing any trade deals with China until Jimmy Lai is freed.
Asked whether he agreed with Mr Trump, Mr Farage told broadcasters: “Oh I’m very nervous, I’m very, very nervous about the extent to which China has effectively spied on us, stolen many of our industrial secrets.
“I’m worried about the extent to which they’ve infiltrated using money British universities. We must be cautious about the relationship.”
He added that Sir Keir Starmer’s trip showed his mindset is “where we were 10 years ago” and “everything’s changed in that last decade, Keir Starmer hasn’t”.Asked whether he would reverse the agreements Sir Keir has made on his trip, the Reform UK leader said: “I don’t think we should be doing any trade deals until a British citizen, Jimmy Lai, is let out of prison.”
He added: “It is the job of the British Government to stand up and defend (UK citizens).”
In pictures: Keir Starmer visits Yuyuan Garden, Shanghai
11:22 , Bryony Gooch
What has the UK got out of China visit so far?
11:07 , Bryony Gooch- Whisky tariffs: Chinese tariffs on Scotch whisky are to be cut from 10 per cent to 5 per cent – a deal the UK Government said would be worth £250 million to the UK’s economy over the next five years.Visa-free travel: Britons visiting China for less than 30 days will no longer need a visa. It will apply to those travelling to China for business and as tourists, and brings the rules for UK visitors in line with those from 50 other countries including France and Germany.
- Services: Clearer rules and better market access for the UK’s services sector, including financial legal, administration and retail services, have been agreed. China and the UK also agreed to conduct a “feasibility study” towards a binding services deal.
- Small boats: Chinese and UK authorities for the first time will work together and share information aimed at disrupting small boats crossings. Some 60 per cent of the boats which crossed the Channel last year had motors made in China. The agreement will prevent these, as well as dinghies made in China, ending up in the hands of people smugglers.
- Establishing closer relations: Both countries have agreed to work more closely on environmental issues, to resume a “high level security dialogue”, to a host of technical trade arrangements, and closer parliamentary ties.
- Business deals: A delegation of 54 representatives of British businesses and cultural institutions have joined Sir Keir on the trip with a view to make deals with their Chinese counterparts. To that end, Octopus Energy has brokered access to China’s clean energy market, using its British tech.
Watch: Starmer meets China’s President Xi during visit to Beijing
10:25 , Bryony GoochIn pictures: Starmer in Shanghai
10:10 , Bryony Gooch
Which other world leaders have made efforts to strengthen relations with China this year?
10:06 , Bryony GoochSir Keir Starmer isn’t the only world leader who has made efforts to strengthen relations with China in 2026 amid volatile relations with US president Donald Trump.
French president Emmanuel Macron said at the World Economic Forum last week: “China is welcome, but what we need is more Chinese foreign direct investments in Europe, in some key sectors, to contribute to our growth, to transfer some technologies.”
Here are the other leaders who have expressed an interest in strengthening Chinese relations:
- Taoiseach of Ireland Micheál Martin visited on 3 January
- Canadian prime minister Mark Carney visited on 12 January
- Uruguayan president Yamandu Orsi visited on 22 January
- Finnish prime minister Orpo visited on 26 January
Govt to decide 'soon' whether to approve Chinese wind turbine manufacturing facility in Scotland due to security considerations
09:49 , Bryony GoochThe government expects to decide “soon” whether to approve a Chinese firm’s plans to build the UK’s largest wind turbine manufacturing facility in Scotland but has to consider security, the trade minister has said.
Sir Chris Bryant said that in matters relating to infrastructure the UK Government has to consider whether an investment is “safe and secure” before coming to a decision.
Ming Yang last autumn announced plans to build the UK’s largest wind turbine manufacturing facility in Ardersier near Inverness.
The company said the £1.5 billion project could create 1,500 jobs.
Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland’s Breakfast programme Sir Chris was asked whether the UK Government is going to approve the project.
He said a final decision has not been made and that the UK has to be “clear eyed” about its relationship with China and has to challenge them on issues such as human rights.
Sir Chris said: “Also everybody will know that there have been issues around espionage in the UK, we need to make sure that all our critical national infrastructure is safe and secure.”
Watch: 'Good, strong place’: Starmer hails 'productive' trade talks with Xi-Jinping in historic China visit
09:37 , Bryony GoochStarmer shouldn’t have gone to China without ensuring ‘Jimmy Lai was coming home with him’ - shadow minister
09:30 , Bryony GoochPolitical reporter Athena Stavrou reports:
The shadow national security minister has said she wouldn’t have gone to China without assurance “Jimmy Lai was coming home with me”.
Sir Keir has faced calls to raise the jailing of Hong Kong pro-democracy campaigner Jimmy Lai on his visit to China this week.
Alicia Kearns, Conservative MP for Rutland and Stamford, said the prime minister’s visit to China telling Beijing the visit will give them “the propaganda coup that you are looking for, without any meaningful returns for our national security”.
When asked what would have constituted a meaningful return, Ms Kearns told Times Radio: "I would have put a precondition that I was not going to go if I was prime minister, unless Jimmy Lai was coming home with me.”
Starmer begins second leg of China visit with Yuyuan Gardens tour
09:24 , Bryony GoochSir Keir Starmer toured Shanghai’s Yuyuan Gardens and talked to Chinese students about Larry the Downing Street cat as he began the second leg of his visit to China.
About two hours after arriving in Shanghai, Sir Keir visited a shopping district in Yuyuan Gardens, an area in the old part of the city decorated with hundreds of red lanterns for the upcoming Chinese New Year.
The prime minister stopped to admire a display of large multicoloured horse lanterns and visited a shop selling butterfly biscuits, a local specialty. He then went to Huxinting Teahouse, an ornate pavilion on stilts rising over a lake.
Inside, Sir Keir met with Chinese design students who had made British-themed lanterns, including a red double-decker bus, Battersea Power Station and a cat with a Union flag bow tie.
Sir Keir told the students about Larry, who he said was very popular with world leaders visiting Downing Street.
The design students were from Shanghai International College of Fashion and Innovation, a joint institute between Shanghai’s Donghua University and Edinburgh University.
Previous visitors to the Huxingting Tea House include Queen Elizabeth II and Jackie Chan.
Trump 'wrong' to say UK-China relationship 'dangerous'
09:15 , Bryony GoochBritish trade department minister Chris Bryant said Trump was "wrong" to say the UK entering a relationship with China was doing was dangerous.
"Of course, we enter into our relationship with China with our eyes wide open," he told the BBC on Friday.
Around the time of Trump's comments, Sir Keir Starmer told a meeting of the UK-China Business Forum in the Chinese capital that his "very warm" meetings with Xi had provided "real progress".
Starmer hailed deals on visa-free travel and lower whisky tariffs as "really important access, symbolic of what we're doing with the relationship".
"That is the way that we build the mutual trust and respect that is so important," Sir Keir said.
Trump warns it would be 'dangerous' for UK to do business with China
08:59 , Tara CobhamDonald Trump has warned it would be “dangerous” for the UK to do business with China.
Asked by reporters early on Friday about the UK’s efforts to strengthen economic ties with China, the US President expressed disapproval.
“Well, it’s very dangerous for them to do that, and it’s even more dangerous, I think, for Canada to get into business with China,” he said.
Minister says ‘bonkers’ for UK not to deal with China
08:55 , Tara CobhamIt would be “absolutely bonkers” for the UK not to engage with China, a minister has said, after Donald Trump expressed disapproval of Sir Keir Starmer’s trip to the country.
Asked by Sky News about the US president’s suggestion overnight it would be “dangerous” for the UK to do business with China, trade minister Sir Chris Bryant 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.”
Minister does not rule out future UK visit for President Xi
08:53 , Tara CobhamPolitical correspondent Athena Stavrou reports:
A government minister has been unable to rule out a future visit to the UK by Xi Jinping.
Trade minister Sir Chris Bryant was unable to give his own opinion on a potential visit on Friday, after No 10 left the door open to a future visit from the Chinese President.
When asked if Mr Xi would be welcome to the UK, Mr Bryant said: “The visit of a president is normally a matter for the palace as well as for the for the government.
“So I don't want to get ahead of myself - It's not for me to be issuing invitation.”
When asked whether a visit would be appropriate, given China has sanctioned British MPs, Mr Bryant said: “Of course we take all those issues that you just raised extremely seriously and I'm sure that they would factor into any discussions.”
Watch: Trump considers UK deal with China 'very dangerous'
08:52 , Tara CobhamStarmer touches down in Shanghai for next leg of trip to China
08:52 , Tara CobhamSir Keir Starmer has touched down in Shanghai for the next leg of his trip to China.
The prime minister met Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday as he made the case for a “more sophisticated” relationship between the UK and China.
He also met business leaders and Chinese ministers in Beijing as he continues his push to bolster economic ties with the country, including Chinese Health Minister Ma Xiaowei and the Bank of China chairman Ge Haijiao.
Sir Keir’s visit to Shanghai, a massive financial hub and China’s biggest city, will cap a trip during which the prime minister’s political opponents accused him of “kowtowing” to Mr Xi.
Trump was ‘wrong’ to warn UK over China trade deal, minister says
08:46 , Tara CobhamPolitical correspondent Athena Stavrou reports:
Donald Trump’s warning to Sir Keir Starmer was rebuked by trade minister Sir Chris Bryant on Friday, who said his remarks on the UK’s trade prospects were “wrong”.
Hours after the prime minister met Chinese president Xi Jinping in Beijing, US president Donald Trump expressed his disapproval of the UK’s efforts to do business with China, saying it is “dangerous”.
Asked by BBC Breakfast if the US president was wrong in his remarks, trade minister Sir Chris Bryant said: “Yes, he is wrong, and I say this precisely because, apart from anything else, he himself said in his own statement that he is a friend with President Xi, and as I understand it, President Trump is going to China himself in April.”
