China strives to create new growth drivers for economic, trade cooperation with Britain: commerce ministry

China plans to sign trade and investment cooperation agreements with Britain during Prime Minister Keir Starmer's upcoming visit to the country, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said Tuesday.

These outcome documents will help create new growth drivers for bilateral economic and trade cooperation, the spokesperson made the remarks in response to a media inquiry.

"China attaches great importance to economic and trade cooperation with Britain and is actively working with Britain to prepare for the economic and trade cooperation outcomes from the visit, as well as a meeting of Chinese and British entrepreneurs," the spokesperson said.

Chinese and British companies have shown keen interests in the meeting, and more than 100 of them have registered to attend, the spokesperson added.

According to the spokesperson, the economic and trade relations between China and Britain have maintained sound and steady development. In 2025, bilateral trade in goods reached 103.7 billion U.S. dollars, trade in services is projected to exceed 30 billion U.S. dollars, and the stock of two-way investment is nearly 68 billion U.S. dollars.

Britain has served as the guest of honor at the 25th China International Fair for Investment and Trade and the Fourth China International Consumer Goods Fair, demonstrating the vibrant and pragmatic cooperation between the two countries.

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce is willing to work with the British economic and trade authorities to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, strengthen communication on economic and trade policies, create a fair and transparent business environment under the rule of law for cooperation between enterprises of both sides, and continuously elevate bilateral economic and trade relations to new heights, said the spokesperson.

At the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang, the British prime minister will pay an official visit to China from Jan. 28 to 31, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced earlier Tuesday.

It will mark the first visit by a British prime minister to China in eight years.

China strives to create new growth drivers for economic, trade cooperation with Britain: commerce ministry

Chen Binhua, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, on Wednesday condemned the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities for considering a ban on the use of mainland technology and products simply because they are effective and popular, calling this stance "absurd and ridiculous."

Chen's remarks came in response to comments from DPP members suggesting that the Chinese mainland's popular navigation app Amap might be prohibited and that the public should be advised against using it if so-called security concerns arise.

"The mainland has world-leading digital mapping, navigation, and location service technologies. Many of these applications have been widely used on the mainland and in some other countries and regions for years, meeting people's practical needs, making travel more time-efficient and convenient, and enriching their daily life. This is a concrete example of how technological development benefits humanity. In addition to Amap, the mainland also boasts many advanced technologies and high-quality innovative products. People on both sides of the Taiwan Straits are of one family and we are willing to let our Taiwan compatriots be the first to share in these benefits," Chen said at a press conference in Beijing.

"However, the DPP authorities, in their pursuit of Taiwan secession, have become so opposed to the mainland that their stance has turned anti-intellectual and anti-technology. Nearly 10 years into the DPP governance, Taiwan has witnessed a troubling phenomenon of ideological constraint and speech repression, epitomized by an inability to say no to the U.S. or to acknowledge the strengths of the mainland. Simply because mainland technologies and products are effective and popular among the people of Taiwan, the DPP authorities seek to prohibit or hinder their choice of the products. This reflects a jittery with imaginary fear, which is absurd and ridiculous. Such moves find little support and will not succeed," Chen said.

DPP's obstruction of popular mainland technology only proves "absurd, ridiculous": spokesman