UK's new business secretary Peter Kyle expected to visit Beijing in first week

"The UK's new business secretary, Peter Kyle, is expected to fly to Beijing this week as part of Keir Starmer's continuing efforts to revitalise the UK's trade relationship with China and deliver growth to the British economy. The former science and technology secretary, who was promoted in Friday's government reshuffle, is expected to land in China on Wednesday, picking up the schedule of his predecessor, Jonathan Reynolds, who is now chief whip."

"Kyle will first travel to Washington as part of the preparations for Donald Trump's state visit to the UK and has then lined up a meeting in Beijing with the Chinese minister of commerce, Wang Wentao, at the first gathering of the UK China joint economic and trade commission (Jetco) for seven years. Jetco summits were paused by Boris Johnson in response to Beijing's crackdown on pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong in 2019, with Covid stalling dialogue in subsequent years."

"However, because of the short notice and the decision to fly to Washington on Sunday, Kyle is expected to miss out on a visit to an international trade conference in the eastern city of Xiamen, pencilled in by Reynolds' team. About 200 British businesses will be represented at the China International Fair for Investment & Trade (Cifit) in a delegation led by James Sassoon, former businessman and adviser to David Cameron."

Peter Kyle, newly appointed UK business secretary, will visit Beijing this week after travelling to Washington as part of state-visit preparations. He will meet China's minister of commerce, Wang Wentao, at the first UK-China Joint Economic and Trade Commission (Jetco) for seven years. Jetco was paused after Beijing's 2019 crackdown on pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong and then stalled by Covid. Several senior Labour ministers have visited China since Labour took power. Kyle is likely to miss the Xiamen trade conference, where about 200 British businesses will be represented by a delegation led by James Sassoon.

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