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Foreign Investment and Overseas Trade: China

Asked by Dr Neil Shastri-HurstConservativeDepartment for Business and TradeTabled Answered 16 May 2025UIN 50718

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent discussions he has had with his international counterparts on the coordination of (a) trade and (b) investment policies relating to the People’s Republic of China.

Answered by Mr Douglas Alexander

The UK regularly engages with international partners regarding trade and investment policies, both bilaterally and in multilateral fora such as the World Trade Organisation.

With regards to China specifically, the UK's overall approach is to cooperate where we can, compete where we need to, and challenge where we must. During my visit to China in April, I held frank and honest discussions with my counterparts on the opportunities and challenges in the bilateral trade relationship, including improving overall reciprocity in market access, raising UK concerns on level playing field issues and market distorting practices and discussing economic security issues.

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