As summer settles in, we’re taking a moment to zoom out and reflect on the UK-China landscape so far in 2025. From renewed bilateral dialogues to green finance, healthcare innovation and global summits, it’s been a season of meaningful movement.

🧭 UK-China Trade & Investment Snapshot (2024–25)

China remains the UK’s 5th largest trading partner, comprising 5.5% of total trade. As geopolitical dynamics shift and economic partnerships evolve, UK businesses navigating China opportunities face a mixed picture of resilience and recalibration.

📌 What’s Driving the UK-China Story – a recap of figures and movements defining the UK-China business landscape so far this year.

🔹 UK-China Economic & Financial Dialogue Returns This January marked the revival of formal UK-China dialogue after a six-year pause. Led by Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Vice Premier He Lifeng, the talks generated £600 million in new deals and laid the groundwork for cooperation across financial services, agri-food trade, and regulatory affairs.

🔹 Financial Services Expansion UK firms gained new licences and quotas in China, while London hosted China’s first offshore sovereign green bond. ETF and Wealth Connect initiatives are under review, with new collaborative platforms emerging in pensions and finance education.

🔹 Trade & Agri-Food Wins UK pork processors were relisted, and approvals extended to porcine exports and pet food. Progress was made on lifting poultry restrictions and protecting Scotch whisky and greasy wool exports.

🔹 MedTech & Pharma Alignment China pledged fast-track RSV vaccine approvals for older adults, and the MHRA continues to facilitate Chinese-origin drugs via the ILAP pathway. Signals point to stronger compatibility in healthcare innovation and ageing care.

🔹 AI & Biopharma Licensing Momentum Chinese biopharma out-licensing may reach 37% of global deals. UK firms are gaining early access to oncology, immunology, and gene editing platforms, with proposals for joint R&D centres blending AI scale with UK safety standards.

🔹 Strategic Realism in Engagement At March’s UK-China Business Forum, shared interests emerged around climate, ageing innovation, smart mobility and digital healthcare — set against continued caution on tech security and strategic risk management.

Zooming out, these sector shifts are part of a wider global rhythm. As international trade talks and climate negotiations gain pace, UK-China collaboration is showcased across major international platforms.

🎪 Global Stages, Shared Spotlights

Among the many events held so far this year…

• WAIC (World Artificial Intelligence Conference) in Shanghai spotlighted joint R&D proposals in agentic AI and biopharma, with UK firms presenting sandboxing models for safe deployment.
• CIIE (China International Import Expo) featured UK MedTech and agri-food innovators, with new dialogues on sustainable healthcare and digital diagnostics.
• LTW (London Tech Week), where Chinese and UK startups pitched cross-border solutions in ageing care, smart mobility, and AI-powered clinical trials.

Among the global talks shaping the business landscape…

• US-China Trade Discussions in Stockholm Aimed at extending a fragile tariff truce, these talks signal efforts to stabilise commercial ties between the world’s two largest economies. For UK firms, the outcome affects global supply chains, pricing dynamics, and the broader trade climate in which UK-China deals are negotiated.
• UK-US Economic Prosperity Agreement Signed in May, this landmark deal reduces tariffs and opens new market access across sectors like automotive, aerospace, and agriculture. It sets a precedent for bilateral trade frameworks — and offers a benchmark for UK-China negotiations on reciprocal access and regulatory alignment.
• EU-China Joint Climate Declaration in Beijing Reaffirming cooperation on green transition and climate governance, this statement positions China and the EU as climate leaders ahead of COP30. For UK businesses, it highlights the importance of aligning with emerging green standards and participating in cross-border clean tech innovation.

⚡️ Signals to watch: Shifts in Chinese capital deployment, sector-specific openness, and alignment with UK innovation priorities — from health tech to green growth.

💡Sector Insights: UK-China Healthcare Transformation Synergies

Both the UK and China are embracing ambitious healthcare reforms rooted in prevention, innovation, and long-term resilience. We’ve been following the shifts closely. Here’s what’s rising to the surface, and why it’s reshaping perspectives on cross-border collaboration and the future of health systems.

Click the image 👇 to read our takeaways.

🏖️ Whether you’re planning, pausing, or simply catching up, we hope this newsletter offers a moment to reflect, reconnect and reimagine what’s possible in UK-China business and tech. We’ll be back in the autumn. Until then — here’s to a summer of thoughtful momentum. 🥂