Hosted at ACCA’s London headquarters, this closed-door session provided a timely debrief on the Prime Minister’s recent visit to China. Ambassador Wilson shared his personal reflections on the visit and its implications for UK-China business engagement, as well as government-to-government relations.

Some key themes from the interactive discussion:

• Significant opportunities in services trade: as China's economy continues to shift towards services-led consumption, the decision to undertake a feasibility study on a bilateral trade in services agreement is both timely and strategically important.
• China’s ambition to “go global” and the UK’s competitive positioning: as Chinese companies increasingly look to internationalise, the UK is well placed to support this expansion through our world-leading professional and financial services.
• Renewed receptiveness and stronger signals from China: The Prime Minister’s engagement with leading Chinese enterprises reflected a high level of openness among Chinese businesses to partner with and invest in the UK.
• Opportunities for SMEs and practical market access: engagement is not limited to large corporates. UK brands continue to be highly regarded in China, and HMG, together with partners such as CBBC, will continue to provide practical support to help SMEs access and succeed in the Chinese market.

Overall, the Ambassador highlighted the importance of maintaining leader-level dialogue with China and the benefits of a long-term, strategic, comprehensive and consistent approach to the bilateral relationship.

Thank you to the ACCA for hosting.