UK seeks deeper trade cooperation, services agreement with China: ambassador

British Ambassador to China Peter Wilson said the UK is working to deepen trade cooperation with China and pursue a services agreement, emphasizing mutual benefit and a stable business environment.

In an exclusive interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN) in Beijing, Wilson highlighted UK's efforts to increase exports, attract more reciprocal investment and advance talks on a legally binding services deal.

"We're going to work harder to get UK exports up to China and we're going to work towards a legally binding service agreement, that's a really big deal. In terms of sort of concrete stuff, I would hope that we are able to see an uptick in exports. I would also hope that we see an uptick in investment both ways. There was a big AstraZeneca investment into China, 15 billion U.S. dollars, announced in this trip. I expect over the next 12 months we will see significant Chinese investments into the UK too, that's good for both of us," he said.

The ambassador stressed that the UK champions free trade and opposes the politicization of commercial relations, seeking instead to provide confidence for businesses on both sides.

"We actually don't want to politicize trade. We want to provide a stable environment that gives confidence for our companies to trade with each other. We don't like it when there are blocks to trade, that's why we're a free trading nation. The nature and shape of our economy is built on that, and that's why we promote free trade around the world. It's really important for us that we just try to calm all of that down, so that our businesses really can find mutual advantage. It has to be mutual otherwise it doesn't work. Mutual advantage in trading with each other. We think we've got a lot to offer and we think we've got a lot to gain," he said.

The ambassador's interview coincided with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's four-day official visit to China in late January, at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang.

UK seeks deeper trade cooperation, services agreement with China: ambassador

The latest round of trilateral talks on Ukraine ended Wednesday in Geneva without progress on territorial disputes or security guarantees, highlighting unresolved core issues in the Russia‑Ukraine conflict, said a European foreign policy expert in Berlin.

The two‑day talks among Ukraine, the United States, and Russia, the third round of trilateral negotiations this year, concluded with no breakthrough on key issues.

Jana Puglierin, a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), said Ukraine is facing intense pressure over territory issues, a factor that keeps the conflict's core disputes unresolved.

"There is a lot of pressure on Ukraine, including from Washington, to do so (making territorial concessions). There are territorial issues that remain unresolved, and another major issue is the question of security guarantees," said Puglierin.

She said that the Russia-Ukraine conflict exposes Europe's vulnerability after relying on U.S. security guarantees for a long term, and Europe needs to formulate long-term plans to enhance its own strategic autonomy.

"And it must continue that the Europeans make it clear that any decision regarding the final stage of the conflict in Ukraine can only take place with Europe's consent, because it concerns fundamental issues of European security. That is to say, the Europeans have repeatedly made it clear that if they are not at the negotiation table, they are not prepared to accept certain decisions that directly affect them and are made without their involvement," she said.

Latest trilateral talks on Ukraine end without progress on core issues: expert