Day: July 22, 2018

FCO Minister for Asia and the Pacific, is today (22 July) starting a five-day visit to China. The visit will include visiting Beijing, Chongqing, Chengdu, Nanjing and Shanghai, in a programme reflecting the breadth and depth of business, investment and science and innovation links between the UK and China.

During his second official trip to China as Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific, Minister Field will call on senior Chinese government officials. Meetings are set to include China’s Vice Minister Guo Yezhou in Beijing, Executive Vice Mayor Wu Cunrong in Chongqing, Mayor Luo Qiang in Chengdu and Vice Governor Guo Yuanqiang of Jiangsu Province.

In Beijing, the Minister will discuss bilateral issues and UK-China co-operation on foreign policy issues of shared concern, ahead of the UK-China Strategic Dialogue on 30 July. He will also tour the Centre of Excellence for Plant and Microbial Science (CEPAMS), a leading example of the benefits achieved from bringing together UK and Chinese expertise in scientific research to tackle the global challenges of food security and sustainable health care.

The Minister’s visit to Chongqing coincides with the celebrations on the 35th anniversary of Chevening, the UK government’s global flagship scholarship programme, in China. In Chengdu, he will visit a joint UK-China research project at the State Key Lab of Geo-hazard Prevention and Geo-environmental Protection. This project is funded by the UK-China Research and Innovation Partnership Fund, which brings together leading researchers and innovators from the UK and China.

On the last leg of his visit, Minister Field will continue to Eastern China. In Nanjing, he will visit BGT materials, a successful example of UK-China collaboration in commercialising scientific breakthroughs. In Shanghai, the Minister will visit the Shanghai Museum exhibition ‘Landscapes of the Mind: Masterpieces from Tate Britain’ and discuss opportunities with one of China’s leading museums about further future collaboration in the cultural and creative sectors.

Speaking on arrival in China, UK Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific, the Rt Hon Mark Field MP said:

As my second official visit to China, I am honoured to have the opportunity to visit different parts of the country to experience the breadth and depth of cooperation between our two countries.

China is an essential partner for the UK in many areas, from science and innovation to trade and investment. I look forward to seeing more partnerships develop as we strengthen our links in the new chapter of our ‘Golden Era’.

Further information

• Follow Foreign Office Minister Mark Field @MarkFieldUK
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Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt and International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt said:

Following a joint diplomatic effort by the UK and international partners, a group of White Helmets volunteers from southern Syria and their families have been able to leave Syria for safety.

They are now being assisted by the UNHCR in Jordan pending international resettlement.

The White Helmets have saved over 115,000 lives during the Syrian conflict, at great risk to their own. Many White Helmets volunteers have also been killed while doing their work – trying to rescue civilians trapped in bombarded buildings or providing first aid to injured civilians. White Helmets have been the target of attacks and, due to their high profile, we judged that, in these particular circumstances, the volunteers required immediate protection. We therefore took steps with the aim of affording that protection to as many of the volunteers and their families as possible.

We pay tribute to the brave and selfless work that White Helmets volunteers have done to save Syrians on all sides of the conflict.