LONDON, March 15 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of representatives from Britain's government, industry and academia attended a series of events in the country over the past week aimed at promoting deeper China-UK economic and trade cooperation. Participants highlighted the importance of long-standing bilateral ties and expressed strong expectations for expanding cooperation in multiple sectors.
Peter Burnett, chief executive of the China-Britain Business Council, described British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's visit to China in January as "historic." In an interview with Xinhua, Burnett said the visit "laid the groundwork for deeper cooperation and more business opportunities between the two countries."
He noted that British companies are willing to strengthen bilateral ties in fields including professional services, health care, high-quality agricultural products, creative industries and sports.
John Primrose, deputy director of Exports and Inward Investment for the Scottish Government, emphasized China's importance as one of Scotland's key trading partners, particularly for products such as whisky and salmon.
Primrose welcomed the reduction of tariffs on imported British whisky and highlighted the positive impact of Chinese investment in Scotland. Investments in sectors such as energy, high-tech industries, manufacturing, construction and tourism have created thousands of jobs, he said, adding that the Scottish government is introducing new measures to attract further investment.
Aileen Keyes, international tax and trade director at Diageo, a British multinational alcoholic beverages company, said strong economic ties and friendship between China and the United Kingdom are crucial for the company's operations. The company currently operates about 50 facilities across China.
Recognizing the unique terroir of Yunnan Province, Diageo has opened a distillery there to produce whisky tailored to Chinese consumers' tastes. The company has also established a research and development center in Shanghai, collaborating with Scottish partners to develop products for the Chinese market. Keyes added that Diageo plans to participate in various trade and economic expos in China to further engage with the market.
Andrew G. Ross, senior lecturer at the School of Business at the University of Dundee, highlighted China's role as one of the world's largest economies, characterized by its vast domestic market, extensive manufacturing capacity and rapidly advancing technological capabilities.
China plays a critical role in global supply chains for electronics, machinery, electric vehicles, batteries and renewable energy technologies, Ross said. Meanwhile, the country's large and increasingly affluent middle class continues to generate strong demand for high-quality goods and services from international markets.
Grant Richardson, CEO of Sunamp, a thermal storage technology company, noted that his company sources the majority of its critical components from China. Sunamp has recently established a production facility in China in partnership with a local strategic partner to explore opportunities in the Chinese market and expand its presence in the Asia-Pacific region.
Richardson said he plans to visit the new facility later this year and emphasized that China's visa-waiver policy for British visitors has made it easier for companies to exchange knowledge and send staff to China.
As China accelerates its green development, cooperation between China and the United Kingdom in renewable energy is also gaining momentum.
In 2025, Octopus Energy, Britain's largest energy supplier, partnered with Chinese automaker BYD to launch Britain's first vehicle-to-grid bundle, offering users "free charging" through smart charge-discharge technology and rebates. The company has also formed a strategic partnership with one of China's leading wind turbine manufacturers to explore opportunities in the wind energy sector.
Zoisa North-Bond, CEO of Octopus Energy Generation, said the company's new partnership with China's PCG Power aims to deepen its understanding of China's renewable energy market and explore how software solutions can better integrate renewable energy into energy systems.
Eddie Barnes, director of the John Smith Centre at the University of Glasgow, noted that Scotland has set ambitious targets to achieve net-zero emissions. Cooperation with China, he said, will be essential to reaching that goal by combining Chinese and Scottish expertise in developing relevant technologies. ■
