The head of Disney has warned against a US trade war with China and called for a "fair and just" immigration policy in an apparent broadside against Donald Trump.

Bob Iger's comments to US broadcaster CNBC put the company behind Mickey Mouse, and owner of the Star Wars franchise, at odds with the White House.

Mr Iger is a member of the new President's business advisory council, though he did not attend its first meeting last week, saying it clashed with a Disney board meeting.

Mr Trump has threatened to levy tariffs of up to 45% on Chinese goods - risking a trade war with the world's second biggest economy, the like of which the IMF has already warned could derail global growth.

Image: Bob Iger: 'I firmly believe that we cannot shut our borders to immigrants'

Mr Iger told CNBC that China was a key market for its films, theme parks and consumer products.


He added: "An all-out trade war with China would be damaging I think to Disney's business and to business in general and something I think we have to be really careful about."

The chief executive was also apparently critical of the new administration's travel ban - which affects immigration to the US from seven mainly Muslim nations and the country's refugee programme.

Mr Iger stressed the importance to the US of its "openness to the people of the world".

He said: "I firmly believe that we cannot shut our borders to immigrants.

"I think a fair and just immigration policy is good for our country and good for our society."

Image: Disney opened its Shanghai resort last year

Mr Trump's travel ban has already attracted the ire of Silicon Valley bosses - including Amazon's Jeff Bezos - who are supporting a legal challenge.

Mr Iger was speaking as Disney published results for the three months to the end of December showing a surprise drop in revenue, though profits were better than expected.

The results pointed to the growing importance of its operations in China, where its Shanghai Disney Resort opened last summer and has already seen more than seven million visitors.

Revenues for the quarter fell 3% to $14.8bn (£11.8bn), hit by a drop in advertising revenue at sports channel ESPN and comparison with the success in the prior year of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

While Rogue One, the latest film in the franchise, took $1bn (£800m) at global box offices, it could not match the $2bn (£1.6bn) takings for the 2015 release.