British PM 'desperate' for China visit, minister says

Liam Fox, Britain's secretary of state for international trade, has said Prime Minister Theresa May is "desperate to get a visit to China".

Fox made the comment during his visit to China last week, which was aimed at boosting Sino-UK business links, telling Chinese media that May will be heading to Beijing.

"The prime minister is desperate to get a visit to China and, of course, that is something we're discussing at the present time," Fox said during an interview with Shenzhen TV News. "She will come after (French) President (Emmanuel) Macron, but we like to keep the best till last."

A Downing Street spokesperson said there will be a trip but didn't give further details.

According to Reuters, May is expected to visit later this month, accompanied by a business delegation.

Fox told Shenzen TV News that the Belt and Road Initiative offers great potential to British businesses and opportunities for cooperation.

The Department for International Trade recently announced that up 25 billion pounds ($34 billion) of financial support, including loan guarantees, will be available for British businesses operating in countries covered by the Belt and Road Initiative.

The initiative aims to maintain economic growth in China and increase economic cooperation with countries around the world along key land and sea transport routes.

"I've been around a lot of countries in Asia and many of them have said that they would like to have a British partner that would give them a better chance of getting business in the Belt and Road Initiative," Fox said.

Last year, bilateral trade in goods totaled $74.34 billion, making Britain China's second-largest trading partner in the European Union, and China Britain's third-biggest trading partner, its third-largest source of imports, and the seventh-largest market for British goods, according to China's Foreign Ministry.