Chancellor to represent UK at Belt & Road Forum in Beijing

Details of the trip:

• The Chancellor will be giving a keynote address and meeting with, among others, the Chinese Vice Premier, Hu Chunhua.
• Minister for Trade and Export Promotion Baroness Fairhead will also be attending, where she will be highlighting the unique contribution the UK has to make in terms of expertise, especially in professional services.
• China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is one of the world’s largest infrastructure and connectivity initiatives.
• The UK is a natural partner for quality global infrastructure initiatives due to the world leading City of London, and unrivalled expertise in areas such as design, engineering, financing, public-private partnerships, and legal services.
• The forum is a key occasion to explore opportunities for UK business. Global trade is essential for future prosperity, and engaging with BRI projects helps to support jobs, businesses, exports and investment back home in the UK.
• The UK’s leadership on high standards and the sustainable development agenda will also be crucial in ensuring BRI projects develop in line with international standards on debt sustainability, environmental impact and climate change, social impact and transparency.
• The Forum is also a signal of the continuing golden era in UK-China bilateral relations. The UK and China are both global powers with a global outlook, and the Chancellor will be holding a series of meetings with Chinese counterparts where he will further showcase areas where the two countries can work together in the future.