‘We have converted this ambition into a reality,’ UK representatives praise opportunities in China

The Inaugural Meeting of UK-China Health Innovation Platform (UKCHIP) Business Working Group was held in Beijing on Wednesday. Representatives from governments, life sciences and healthcare companies, universities, and research institutions from both China and the UK shared their intentions for collaboration, with many UK representatives highly praising the development opportunities for British companies in China.

According to organizers, UKCHIP was jointly initiated by Investment Promotion Agency of Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China and the Life Sciences and Healthcare Directorate of the UK Department for Business and Trade (DBT). The platform aims to integrate the UK’s top-tier research capabilities with China’s industrial advantages to promote in-depth cooperation in four key areas: digital healthcare, biopharmaceuticals, medical devices, and public health services.

In interviews with China News Network, participants expressed hopes for more China-UK cooperation.

“This platform was a key outcome from the UK-China Economic & Financial Dialogue in January 2025. I am pleased that, with the support of Chinese partners, we have converted this ambition into reality,” said Rahul Agarwal, Counsellor for Life Sciences and Healthcare at the British Embassy in Beijing. He emphasised the UK’s strengths in early-stage research and development (R&D) and regulatory expertise complement China’s scale and manufacturing capabilities.

He noted that Chinese companies are partnering with UK health firms to co-develop advanced diagnostics and therapies, while China’s healthtech solutions are being piloted in the UK healthcare settings. 

Rahul Agarwal, Counsellor for Life Sciences and Healthcare at the British Embassy in Beijing (Photo courtesy of CIPA)

Min Rose from the University of Nottingham’s Research and Knowledge Exchange Office said that the UKCHIP can connect the roots of scientific innovation, application scenarios, and funding support between China and the UK, and help bridge the “last mile” for bringing scientific and technological achievements to market through proof-of-concept support and specialised international innovation and technology services. She looks forward to comprehensive, multi-level industrial cooperation, policy consultation, and interpersonal exchanges between China and the UK in areas such as joint cultivation of high-level scientific innovation talent, university-industry collaborative R&D, and commercialisation of scientific and technological achievements.

Zhao Bingbing, Chief Representative for Greater China at London & Partners, highlighted China’s vast market and its ability to rapidly commercialise scientific and technological achievements, a factor highly valued by many UK technology and biopharmaceutical companies.

Professor David Hay, of the Centre for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Edinburgh, noted that both China and the UK have driven significant research progress in cell biology and tissue engineering, and developed creative programs for technology transfer. He believes the technical and commercial cooperation, in combination with the exchange space provided by UKCHIP, will generate promising research and commercial opportunities for both countries. 

Professor David Hay, Principal Investigator at the Centre for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Edinburgh, speaks at the meeting. (Photo courtesy of CIPA)

Liu Minqiang, Director General, CIPA, stated that China is currently accelerating the building of a unified national market, with consumption potential continuously unleashed and the economy showing steady improvement. He added that emerging industries like new energy, life sciences and health, and artificial intelligence, are developing rapidly, making China a global hub of innovation. These factors, he said, provides favourable conditions for the long-term and stable development of multinational corporations and SMEs in China, including British companies.

Liu Minqiang, Director General, CIPA, delivers a speech. (Photo courtesy of CIPA)

After the meeting, participants praised China’s investment and business environment. “We can feel that China is very welcoming to foreign companies,” said Zhao Bingbing. She added that health is a globally focused issues, and China plays a significant leading role in this field.

Min Rose emphasised China’s strong policy support, industry development, and healthcare consumption demand, which are very beneficial for foreign investors and companies looking to enter the Chinese market. She also mentioned that for universities, carrying out international programs could help high-quality UK innovation and technology projects reduce barriers to entering the Chinese market.

Darren Mercer, CEO of CS Pharmaceuticals Limited, stated that both China and the UK possess excellent scientists and early-stage innovations, making the two countries strong complementary. He expressed hope for more opportunities for pharmaceutical companies to showcase products and attract investment.

Artificial intelligence (AI), a hot topic and a strategic technology leading the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, was also discussed. Zhao Bingbing highlighted the application and development of AI in the pharmaceutical sector during her interview, stating that AI offers new possibilities for the industry. She encouraged that Chinese and British companies to unleash their imagination in this area to find more application scenarios for cooperation. 

UK-China Health Innovation Platform (UKCHIP) Business Working Group Inaugural Meeting Agenda (Photo courtesy of CIPA)

As Rahul Agarwal emphasised, the UKCHIP provides a vital space for enterprises, local governments, and academic representatives from both countries to exchange ideas, discuss opportunities and challenges, effectively promote mutual benefit, and is expected to foster more bilateral cooperation and a closer China-UK partnership.