China’s door will open ‘wider and wider’ to UK, Li Keqiang tells Theresa May
British beef will be back on the menu within six months, and the two sides say they’re exploring potential free-trade arrangements after Brexit
China and Britain are looking at potential free-trade arrangements post-Brexit, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and visiting British Prime Minister Theresa May said in Beijing on Wednesday.
The two leaders also told reporters they would work together to open markets and build on their “golden era” in relations after they signed a dozen deals at the Great Hall of the People.
“Sino-UK relations will not change because of the change in UK-EU relations,” Li said. “The two-way openness will deepen. And China’s door will be open to Britain wider and wider.”
Their talks came after US President Donald Trump in his state-of-the-union address named China as a rival that challenges United States interests.
One way China will open the door wider is with more imports of agricultural products from the UK, including lifting a ban on British beef within six months that has been in place since the BSE – or “made cow disease” – crisis in 1997. A broader range of dairy products would also be allowed to be imported from the UK into China.