JETCO:

JETCO took place at Mansion House in London during the afternoon of 2 July, and was preceded by a lunch with representatives of major British and Chinese businesses.

The Department for Business and Trade’s readout highlighted the following outcomes:

• Progress in technical discussions around a Joint Feasibility Study on the potential of a UK-China bilateral Trade in Services Agreement.
• Further actions to deliver the Bilateral Services Partnership, including progress on mutual recognition of professional qualifications, deepened exchange between DBT and the Cyberspace Administration of China.
• The launch of a UK-China Professional and Business Services Matchmaking Platform.

Secretary of State Peter Kyle also welcomed the launch of the UK-China Business and Innovation Hub in the Suzhou New District, which will be run by CBBC in partnership with the Suzhou New District government. The Hub, which was proposed by Minister Wang Wentao to Peter Kyle during the 2025 JETCO, will support two-way trade and investment and serve as a launchpad for both UK businesses entering the Chinese market as well as Chinese companies exploring opportunities in the UK.

Alongside these outcomes, JETCO also reviewed progress on a series of JETCO working groups. These included:

• WTO Working Group, covering WTO reform and support for a level playing field for trade.
• Trade Remedies Exchange, covering trade remedies systems, processes, and regulations.
• Export Controls, covering export controls and reduction in the friction they cause.
• Investment, exploring ways to expand the bilateral investment relationship.
• Trade in services, covering expanded co-operation on the services trade with focus on professional services.

All groups are expected to have follow up sessions in the coming year ahead of the 2027 JETCO.

Export to China UK Session

On 1 July, CBBC was honoured to support the Department for Business and Trade to co-organise the Export to China UK Session, alongside the Chinese Ministry of Commerce Trade Development Bureau the China International Import Expo Bureau, and China Chamber of Commerce in the UK, with support from ICBC London. The conference was attended by over 300 representatives from British and Chinese businesses, trade associations and government agencies to advance bilateral economic and trade cooperation, particularly in the export of British goods to China.

The conference was organised as part of the Chinese Ministry of Commerce’s ‘Big Market for All: Export to China’ initiative, a major programme launched by the Chinese government to increase China’s imports of global goods and services. As part of the Prime Minister’s January visit to China, the UK was selected as one of the first partner countries for the programme.

The conference opened with a series of keynote speeches from Secretary of State Peter Kyle, Minister Wang Wentao, alongside CBBC Chair Sir Sebastian Wood KCMG, Chinese Ambassador to the United Kingdom Zheng Zeguang, and ICBC Executive Director Duan Hongtao.

Following the speeches, the conference spotlighted a series of Export to China initiatives. This included an MoU between the Chinese Ministry of Commerce’s Trade Development Bureau and CBBC to promote UK exports to China.

The conference also witnessed the official launch of the UK-to-China Trade Booster, a joint programme initiated by CBBC, ICBC London, HSBC UK, and JD.com to support British exports to expand their sales to China. The programme aims to support UK businesses with export readiness assessment, regulatory and compliance preparation, stakeholder engagement, and participation in the 9th China International Import Expo in Shanghai, among other activities. More details can be found here.

The Conference featured two panel sessions, bringing together experts to discuss emerging opportunities to expand UK-China trade relations. The first panel session on the topic of ‘Export to China: Navigating Market Access, Financing and Growth Opportunities was hosted by CBBC. The second panel session focused on the topic of ‘Global Growth Partnership: British Services Supporting Chinese Businesses to Go Global.’

Commercial Deals and Initiatives

Events around JETCO also included the announcement of a series of commercial deals between British and Chinese companies. These included:

• Formula E increasing commercial partnerships in China.
• Barclays becoming the first UK-incorporated bank to issue bonds in China’s domestic market through its first panda bond issuance.
• The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants working with the Chinese government to advance mutual recognition of its qualifications.
• The Royal College of Surgeons of England partnering with a variety of Chinese healthcare institutions to boost standards in surgery, education, and training.
• Life sciences company Intelligent Fabric Technologies establishing operations in Hong Kong and Shanghai to commercialise its DreamSkin technology in clothing for sensitive skin.

DBT and the Chinese Ministry of Commerce also launched the UK-China Professional and Business Services Matchmaking platform, which will “connect major Chinese companies to leading services companies to support them in raising capital and investing overseas.”

The government’s full readout of these commercial deals and initiatives can be found here.

Media Engagement

Alongside the events, our Chair Sir Sebastian Wood KCMG conducted a series of media engagements on the importance of JETCO and continued positive relations with China in boosting our economic growth.

Speaking to the BBC, he highlighted how Minister Wang Wentao’s visit – and focus on British exports – demonstrates how Beijing understands that its persistent trade surplus is an issue to be addressed. The full interview can be accessed here on our official YouTube channel.

Caixin’s coverage of JETCO also featured extensive commentary from our chair on the state of UK-China relations. The full article can be found here.