Britain’s new trade minister Peter Kyle will hold the first trade talks with China since 2018 in Beijing on Wednesday, seeking to remove barriers to trade worth 1 billion pounds ($1.35 billion) over five years.
In his first trip since being appointed Business and Trade Secretary last week, Kyle held meetings in Washington with companies and tech officials earlier this week, before travelling to Beijing for the UK-China Joint Economic and Trade Commission (JETCO) meeting.
“Serious and strategic engagement with the world’s foremost economic players is what will deliver for working people and businesses across the UK,” Kyle said in a statement.
“More discussions and direct engagement with China will ensure trade between us can flourish, strengthen our national security, and create space to raise concerns constructively where needed.”
The trade ministry said that talks would be aimed at reducing barriers in sectors such as autos, agriculture and professional services.
It added Kyle would raise human rights as well as unfair trade practices and “level playing field issues” that could undermine fair competition for British businesses.
Britain has acted to defend its steel industry from cheap foreign imports, and in April took control of British Steel from its Chinese owners to keep its blast furnaces going.
($1 = 0.7385 pounds)
(Reporting by Alistair Smout）
