British Energy Secretary Ed Miliband will visit China from March 17-19 to revive UK-China energy discussions and attract Chinese investors, according to sources. The visit marks a strategic shift under the Labour government, which aims to rebuild ties with China amid strained US-China and EU-China relations.
Miliband is set to meet China’s energy chief, Zhang Jianhua, to restart the UK-China Energy Dialogue, focusing on clean energy and energy security. However, nuclear energy cooperation remains off-limits due to prior concerns. He will also engage with Chinese private investors at a roundtable to promote investment in the UK.
The Labour government, in power since July, is reassessing the previous Conservative-led administration’s China policies, seeking economic collaboration while addressing security concerns. In 2022, Britain spent £700 million ($880 million) to remove China General Nuclear from a nuclear project following national security warnings.
Unlike the US and EU, Britain has refrained from imposing tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles despite allegations of state subsidies and overcapacity. Chinese automakers BYD, Chery, and XPeng are expanding in the UK market, while BYD manufactures London’s red double-decker buses, and Geely's subsidiary produces the city’s black cabs.
Miliband will be the third Labour minister to visit China since Prime Minister Keir Starmer took office. Starmer is also expected to visit later this year, marking the first UK leader’s trip to China since 2018. The UK-China trade relationship remains significant, with China ranking as Britain’s fifth-largest trading partner, accounting for 5.2% of UK trade and £32 billion ($40 billion) in UK exports last year.