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Britain's effort to reset ties with China made global headlines this week as Prime Minister Keir Starmer wrapped up a landmark visit to Beijing—moves Beijing has cast as evidence of a broader international recalibration toward China, even as Washington watched warily. U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly warned that it would be "very dangerous" for the U.K. to deepen business ties with China, comments Starmer later downplayed, noting Trump was "talking more about Canada" and emphasizing that London had coordinated the visit with U.S. officials in advance.

During meetings with President Xi Jinping, Starmer secured a series of modest but symbolically significant outcomes, including 30-day visa-free travel for British citizens, halved tariffs on Scotch whisky, and the lifting of Beijing's sanctions on several serving British members of Parliament and peers. Supporters framed these steps as pragmatic efforts to rebuild dialogue after years of tension, while critics cautioned that the visit achieved little on deeper security disputes or human rights concerns

Meanwhile, Canada also moved cautiously to expand ties with China while avoiding direct confrontation with Washington. Prime Minister Mark Carney announced targeted tariff reductions on electric vehicles and canola, but emphasized that Canada has no intention of pursuing a full free trade agreement. The measures come amid explicit U.S. warnings: Trump threatened that Canada would face a "100 % tariff against all…goods and products coming into the U.S." if it pursued a broader deal with Beijing. The dynamic illustrates increasing shifts in how middle powers balance pursuing economic opportunities in China with strategic and economic pressures imposed by the United States.

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