Michelle ThompsonFormer science secretary promoted to lead UK efforts in strengthening trade with China
The UK’s new business secretary, Peter Kyle, is set to visit Beijing this week as part of Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s ongoing efforts to strengthen trade ties with China and support British economic growth.
Kyle, formerly the science and technology secretary, was promoted in Friday’s government reshuffle and is expected to arrive in China on Wednesday. He will continue the schedule of his predecessor, Jonathan Reynolds, now chief whip. Before heading to Beijing, Kyle will travel to Washington on Sunday to prepare for Donald Trump’s upcoming state visit to the UK and meet with Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao at the first UK-China Joint Economic and Trade Commission (Jetco) meeting in seven years.
In Washington, Kyle will engage with senior U.S. officials, including Michael Kratsios, director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and Sriram Krishnan, senior AI adviser at the White House, to discuss the AI pillar of the UK-U.S. tech partnership. He will also meet business leaders, including Benito Minicucci, CEO of Alaska Airlines, and Guillaume Faury, CEO of Airbus, to bolster the UK’s reputation as an investment destination.
The Jetco forum was paused by Boris Johnson in 2019 following Beijing’s crackdown on pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, and the COVID-19 pandemic further delayed dialogue. Kyle joins a string of senior cabinet ministers visiting China since Labour came to power, including Chancellor Rachel Reeves in January and Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy in October.
Due to the short notice and his prior Washington trip, Kyle is expected to miss the China International Fair for Investment and Trade (Cifit) in Xiamen, which will be led by James Sassoon and attended by around 200 British businesses. A May report from the British Chamber of Commerce in China highlighted that high-level dialogues like Jetco are essential for boosting bilateral trade and investment.
Tom Simpson, managing director for China at the China-Britain Business Council, said engagement with China has improved steadily since the general election, noting more consistent and effective communication. However, some experts remain cautious. Sam Goodman, senior policy director at the Chinese Strategic Risks Institute, noted that while this marks the ninth government visit to China since Labour’s election, the tangible results have been limited, citing smaller investment commitments compared to other countries.
China is the UK’s fifth-largest export market, with trade worth about £41bn in goods and services. Sources close to the delegation said engagement is crucial for national economic growth and job creation. Interest in British ventures in China has grown across sports, education, and business, including the Premier League’s first Beijing office and Clipper Ventures’ new training base in Qingdao. In education, Chinese-owned schools in the UK now match the number of British school brands in China.
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