LONDON

The British prime minister said Tuesday that the UK would not have to choose between the US and China, adding he could meet the Chinese president without harming ties with Washington.

Britain cannot ignore the second-biggest economy in the world, Keir Starmer told Bloomberg ahead of his visit to China.

Starmer will begin a three-day visit to China, becoming the first British prime minister in eight years to visit Beijing.

Sixty leaders from companies, universities and cultural institutions will be accompanying him to Beijing and Shanghai amid strains in UK–US relations.

The prime minister dismissed questions about whether he was seeking stronger ties with China at the expense of the relationship with US, but he insisted that the UK could meet Chinese President Xi Jinping without angering US President Donald Trump or harming ties with the US.

"We’ve got very close relations with the US — of course, we want to — and we will maintain that business, alongside security and defense," he said. "Equally, just sticking your head in the sand and ignoring China, when it’s the second-biggest economy in the world and there are business opportunities, wouldn’t be sensible."

Although Starmer said he would raise some concerns, including human rights during the visit, he stressed that the economic relationship is the top priority.

The visit comes after a turbulent few weeks in relations between the US and European allies because of issues, including Greenland.

US President Donald Trump has shown interest in Greenland because of its strategic Arctic location, rich mineral resources and concerns about increasing Russian and Chinese influence in the region.

Denmark and Greenland have rejected proposals to sell the territory, reaffirming Danish sovereignty over the island.

After meeting NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Davos last week, Trump announced that a framework for a potential deal involving Greenland and the broader Arctic region had been established.

He also dropped the threat to impose tariffs on eight European countries -- Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands and Finland -- that opposed his acquisition bid.