Overview
The British Business in China: Position Paper is a report created by the British Chamber of Commerce in China to provide advocacy and representation on behalf of British businesses operating in China. It calls for continued UK-China engagement, with dialogue supporting clearer communication between companies and government on policy implementation and intention.
This year’s Position Paper features analysis across eight sectors linked to the UK industrial strategy: advanced manufacturing, creative, education, energy, financial services, food and beverage, healthcare and legal services. There is a particular emphasis on the service sector, a core area where British firms can bring technical expertise and international experience to Chinese companies looking to go global.
The Position Paper is directly presented to the UK and China governments to directly inform trade policy and negotiations. Its findings are based upon dozens of interviews and roundtables with member companies across China, as well as relevant stakeholders, industry experts and policy analysts. This year we added new chapters on advanced manufacturing and standards.
1. Continued practical UK-China engagement through bilateral forums, technical dialogues and working groups, with greater focus on operational business issues and implementation challenges;
2. Greater transparency, predictability and consistency in policy implementation, including clearer communication and more consistent application across sectors and regions;
3. Strengthening measures facilitating the international expansion of Chinese companies through engagement with UK services firms.
As this paper goes out to print, the UK-China relationship has continued to gain momentum following Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s visit to China in January, the first by a British Prime Minister in eight years. Renewed ministerial dialogue and engagement between businesses, regulators, and policymakers have created a more constructive environment for cooperation, with British businesses reporting stronger access to decision-makers and growing opportunities across sectors and regions.
Reflecting this positive momentum, this year’s British Business in China: Position Paper reflects on how the China’s 15th Five-Year Plan and the UK’s Industrial Strategy are heavily aligned, which creates opportunities in life sciences, clean energy, advanced manufacturing, and services. Whilst challenges remain, including regulatory uncertainty and weak consumer demand, the report’s recommendations are intended to support greater predictability, unlock investment, and strengthen long-term UK-China economic cooperation.
This year’s Position Paper saw the number of recommendations reduce from 50 to 46 after four of last year’s 50 recommendations were completely solved this year, including tariffs on whisky and caps on attendance at sporting events. In addition, multiple other long-standing issues have seen policy change which could see major issues being alleviated.
This year’s recommendations to the Chinese government address ongoing barriers to strengthened trade, investment and cooperation. Our members tell us that clearer implementation and more predictable operating conditions would help unlock further investment from their head offices.
