As reported by Xinhua News, on the morning of January 29, President Xi Jinping met with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who was in China on an official visit, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. President Xi noted that mutual trust serves as the cornerstone for the stable and long-term development of state-to-state relations. Both sides should expand mutually beneficial cooperation in education, healthcare, finance and services, and conduct joint research and technology commercialization in such fields as artificial intelligence, biological sciences, new energy and low-carbon technologies.
2026 UK-China Business Council
Source:CCTV
On the same afternoon, Premier Li Qiang of the State Council and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer jointly attended the closing ceremony of the China-UK Business Council meeting and delivered speeches respectively. More than 110 representatives of enterprises and institutions from both China and the UK participated in the meeting, Wu Zuyu from Hithium, who was invited to attend.
Wu Zuyu was invited to attend
Source:CCTV
Premier Li Qiang stated that enterprises from the two countries could focus on four key areas: trade, innovation, trilateral cooperation, and people-to-people exchanges. In the field of innovation, both sides should prioritize seizing opportunities in industries such as clean energy, artificial intelligence, and biopharmaceuticals, thereby fostering new engines for development. Prime Minister Starmer stated that leading this delegation to China aims to gain a deeper understanding of the country and expand opportunities for cooperation. The UK is willing to develop a comprehensive strategic partnership with China, deepen cooperation across various fields such as trade, investment, and technology, and encourage active engagement between businesses of both nations to benefit their peoples. As a corporate representative in the long-duration energy storage sector, Wu Zuyu, Founder and Chairman of Hithium, attended the meeting upon invitation. He listened to the speeches delivered by leaders from both China and the UK, gaining insights into the spirit of bilateral cooperation as well as the collaborative prospects and policy directions in areas such as clean energy development.
UK-China Business Forum
Source:CCPIT
The China Council for the Promotion of International Trade and the UK government jointly held the China-UK Business Forum in Beijing on the morning of January 30. The forum invited representatives from the Chinese and British governments, as well as leaders from business associations and enterprises, to engage in in-depth public-private dialogue. This aimed to promote the implementation of the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, strengthen institutionalized business cooperation, and explore specific collaborative intentions in relevant fields.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer met with Wu Zuyu
During the forum, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer met with Wu Zuyu, and the two sides exchanged views on matters related to energy storage cooperation.
On January 30, the UK government stated in a news announcement on its official website that, in energy, Hithium's investment will bring £200 million and 300 high-quality jobs in energy storage, building the UK's sovereign capability and providing technologies that will make its grid more reliable and its economy stronger. Hithium is one of the world's leading energy storage manufacturers.
Currently, as the global energy transition accelerates, energy storage has become a key focus in national energy policies and industrial development worldwide. While maintaining government-level dialogue, China and the UK are also fostering market-based exchanges and cooperation between enterprises. This approach helps integrate their complementary strengths and jointly advance the sustainable development of the global clean energy sector.
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