Beijing: Downing Street said the visit delivered £2.2 billion in export deals, around £2.3 billion in market access agreements over the next five years, and hundreds of millions of pounds in new investments. The government highlighted gains across key sectors, including a halving of Scotch whisky tariffs to five per cent, rising sales of Brompton bicycles, fresh pharmaceutical investments by AstraZeneca, and the launch of a new World Snooker Tour in China.
“We are bringing stability, clarity and a long-term strategy to how we engage with China, so we can bring home the benefits for businesses and for working people,” Starmer said. He added that engagement with China was essential to securing growth, supporting jobs at home and protecting national security.
From the Chinese side, entertainment brand POP MART, maker of the viral Labubu toys, confirmed plans to make London its regional hub, opening up to seven stores across the UK and creating more than 150 jobs. Automotive manufacturer Chery Commercial Vehicles will establish its European headquarters in Liverpool, while energy storage firm HiTHIUM is planning a £200 million investment expected to generate around 300 high-quality jobs.
UK Business and Trade Secretary Peter Kyle said the visit had put relations with one of the world’s largest economies on a stronger footing, unlocking new commercial partnerships without forcing the UK to choose between trade partners.
Official figures show China is the UK’s third-largest trading partner, with exports to China supporting around 370,000 British jobs. The prime minister led a delegation of nearly 60 business and cultural figures, concluding agreements to expand UK market access across services, agriculture, food, retail, sport and life sciences. A new food safety cooperation mechanism will also speed up import approvals, cutting costs for British firms entering China’s fast-growing market.
From Shanghai, Starmer departed for Tokyo for talks with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, underlining Japan’s status as the UK’s largest investor outside Europe and the United States, supporting roughly 150,000 jobs through around 1,000 Japanese businesses in Britain.