Issue Eleven of the CBBC Trade Tracker provides an overview of UK-China goods trade in 2024, and a breakdown of UK regional exports from north to south. It draws on HMRC data compiled by CBBC.

Key Highlights

• UK goods exports to China rose by 1% to £21.1 billion in 2024, reversing a 1.6% fall in 2023.
• The UK's largest exporters to China were the East Midlands (£3.5b), the West Midlands (£3.2b), London (£3.0b), the North West (£2.1b), and the South West (£1.7b).
• The fastest growth in exports to China came from the North East of England (45.9%), Scotland (32.6%), and the North West of England (7.6%).
• Scotland's new top export to China, petroleum, soared from negligible levels to £407.5 million, while seafood exports more than doubled (128.9%) to £75.3 million.
• The South West of England experienced its fourth consecutive year of export growth to China and overtook the South East to become the UK's fifth-largest exporter to China.
• The East of England saw growth in seven out of its eight top exports to China and remained the UK's largest exporter of pharmaceuticals.

Read the report here

The China-Britain Business Council and its members:

The China-Britain Business Council is the UK’s leading business network supporting trade, education, and investment links with China. CBBC serves over 400 UK members and clients.

Since 1954 we have acted as the independent voice of business, and past Chairs include Lord Powell, former foreign affairs advisor to Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, and Sir David Brewer, former Lord Mayor of the City of London. The current Chair is Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles. Lord Sassoon is Honorary President.

CBBC’s membership includes numerous FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 companies with commercial interests or strategic ties to China.

Contact:

Kenrick Davis, Senior Policy Analyst at the China-Britain Business Council
Kenrick.Davis@cbbc.org