Chinese trade mission highlights Liverpool City Region’s £11bn investment openings
A government-led trade mission to China is showcasing Liverpool City Region’s £11bn of investment opportunities.
The mission began today (March 17) and will see Liverpool City Region deputy mayor, Cllr Mike Wharton, joining other UK regional leaders on the week-long visit to three major Chinese cities of Shenzhen, Chongqing and Chengdu.
Organised by the Department for Business and Trade, the delegation will meet some of China’s biggest companies as they target new opportunities for UK regions and meet Chinese regional politicians to make the case for increased trade and investment from China.
China is already Liverpool City Region’s third largest goods export destination.
Cllr Wharton said: “As a great trading region with the oldest Chinese community in Europe, our links with China are both deep and enduring.
“China is our third largest export destination for goods and, through our twinning with Shanghai, and extensive commercial and academic connections, including the Liverpool China Partnership, we are committed to strengthening that historic relationship.
“With £11bn of investment-ready projects, this mission is a vital opportunity for us to showcase the Liverpool City Region as an exceptional place to invest and do business, as we work to boost our local economy for the benefit of our residents.”
The region’s investment opportunities span life sciences, advanced manufacturing, digital, AI, and clean energy.
The mission is part of the region’s drive to increase foreign direct investment by 25% by the end of the decade, to create more high quality jobs, better training opportunities, and stronger businesses.
The first Chinese immigrants arrived at the Port of Liverpool in 1834.
The city has been twinned with Shanghai since 1999 and over the years, the Liverpool-Shanghai sister city relationship has facilitated partnerships across multiple sectors, including ports, tourism, advanced manufacturing, life sciences, film, education, creative and digital, bringing tangible benefits for both cities.
Liverpool City Region has also formed strategic partnerships with Chinese cities including Kunming, Tianjin, Qingdao and Xian, in specific areas.
The UK delegation includes representatives from the Liverpool City Region, West and East Midlands, London and Salford.
Shenzhen is a city of 18 million people, which is a global hub for advanced manufacturing with an economy worth $516.8bn.
Chengdu holds 20 million people and is a centre for high-tech enterprises, machinery, and medicine.
Chongqing, in South West China, is a major electric vehicle manufacturing hub and has a city area the size of Austria.
