How important is China to the UK?
In 2021, China was the UK's largest import partner and sixth-largest export partner for goods. The UK imported £63.6 billion of goods from China in 2021 (13.3% of all goods imports to the UK) and exported £18.8 billion of goods (5.8% of all goods exports from the UK).
However, despite this, the countries maintain close economic relations, with China being UK's third-largest trading partner as of 2022.
However, there is no denying the fact that China is the world's second largest economy, and it is responsible for more than 15% of global GDP.
The IMF has forecast China's annual GDP growth in 2022 to reach 3.2 percent. This prediction was published on November 23, after the government had begun to loosen its zero-COVID policy but before certain major changes had been announced.
The dependence of universities on Chinese students and the income they bring is already well-known and heavily debated – but the exposure of the UK economy to digital technology and components from China is even greater, and China is now the largest source of imports for the UK with £63.6 billion or 13.3 per cent of ...
The primary motive of British imperialism in China in the nineteenth century was economic. There was a high demand for Chinese tea, silk and porcelain in the British market. However, Britain did not possess sufficient silver to trade with the Qing Empire.
SHENZHEN, China — At the stroke of midnight on July 1, 1997, the British flag over Hong Kong was lowered and the Chinese flag was raised at a ceremony marking the end of more than a century and a half of British colonial rule.
It reveals that Chinese investors own nearly £57bn of shares in the UK's 100 biggest listed companies, dominated by a 49 per cent stake in HSBC worth £45bn. Investments valued at over £1bn have also been made in pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca, oil and gas firms Shell and BP and alcohol company Diageo.
UK trade with the Commonwealth is heavily concentrated on five Commonwealth countries – India, Australia, Canada, Singapore and South Africa.
Body. China is playing a growing role in the world economy. It is one of the world's fastest growing countries and is the tenth largest exporter. China is also a significant recipient of foreign aid and a major borrower on international capital markets.
How does China benefit the world?
China has established the world's largest social security system and education system, with more than 1.3 billion people covered by basic medical insurance and education at all levels having reached or exceeded the average level of middle and high income countries.
China ranks first in terms of trade in goods and foreign exchange reserves, and ranks second in terms of its trade in services and consumer market.

China's gross domestic product will surpass that of the U.S. in about 2035, the Goldman group led by Kevin Daly and Tadas Gedminas wrote, while India's GDP will narrowly surpass the U.S.' in about 2075.
Economic Outlook Note - China
Economic growth will slow to 3.3% in 2022 and rebound to 4.6% in 2023 and 4.1% in 2024. The emergence of the omicron variant has led to recurring waves of lockdowns in 2022, disrupting economic activity.
It has the world's second largest economy by nominal GDP, totaling around US$18.32 trillion in 2022, and the world's largest economy since 2016 when measured by purchasing power parity (PPP). China accounted for 18.6% of global economy in 2022 in PPP terms, and around 18% in nominal terms in 2022.
It is more difficult for small businesses, especially, to trade with Europe, and the UK, by design, now has more limited access to pools of European workers. As a result the economy is less productive, less resilient, less flexible and less responsive.
Total trade in goods and services (exports plus imports) between the UK and China was £92.9 billion in the four quarters to the end of Q2 2022, a decrease of 1.6% or £1.5 billion from the four quarters to the end of Q2 2021.
This led to the Second Opium War breaking out in 1856. China was defeated once again, ending in the Treaty of Tientsin, which gave Britain the area north of Hong Kong Island called Kowloon.
China. China is sometimes called a partially dominated nation, especially in relation to certain Chinese territories under the control of foreign powers. However, no country has ever controlled the entire territory.
In 1839, Britain invaded China to crush opposition to its interference in the country's economic and political affairs.
What are two things Britain wanted to purchase from China?
Opium and tea
By the start of the 19th century, the trade in Chinese goods such as tea, silks and porcelain was extremely lucrative for British merchants. The problem was that the Chinese would not buy British products in return.
Sovereignty of Hong Kong was transferred from the United Kingdom to the People's Republic of China (PRC) at midnight on 1 July 1997. This event ended 156 years of British rule in the former colony.
INTRODUCTION: Colonialism first stepped into China after the victory of the British Navy in the first opium war (1839-42). This war is marked in history as the first in which steam-driven ships were used as the main force (Spence, J. D.
British Empire could not colonize China because of following reasons. China was too big, and populous. British Empire did not have enough power and troops to conquer a nation of 300–400 million people.
According to official UK bilateral aid statistics, the UK spent £68.4 million on aid to China in 2019, up from £44.7 million in 2015.
Mainland China's investment in the UK
In 2021, disclosed transactions involving Chinese investment in the UK totaled £3.59 billion (US$4.29 billion), and 845 Chinese-owned businesses in the country reported audited revenue figures for the two most recent fiscal years, up from 838 in 2020.
Chinese investment in the UK hits £3.59bn in 2021 | Accountancy Today.
- Afghanistan (trade sanctions including an arms embargo, and transit control)
- Albania (transit control)
- Argentina (trade restrictions and transit control)
- Armenia (arms embargo, trade controls, and transit control)
- Azerbaijan (arms embargo, trade controls, and transit control)
The UK runs a trade deficit (we import more than we export) with the biggest economies of the European Union. The UK has a trade surplus (we export more than we import) with 67 territories, including Ireland, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Australia and Brazil.
Exporter | Trade (US$ Mil) | Partner share(%) |
---|---|---|
China | 75,479 | 11.90 |
Germany | 74,403 | 11.73 |
United States | 58,222 | 9.18 |
Netherlands | 46,244 | 7.29 |
How much aid does China get from the UK?
Official UK bilateral ODA to China | Bilateral ODA 'with' and 'on' China | |
---|---|---|
Department | 2015 | 2019 (estimate) |
BEIS (Newton Fund) | £18.1m | |
BEIS (i) GCRF and (ii) climate finance programmes |
Chinese investment in the UK hits £3.59bn in 2021.
China now owns £143bn in UK assets, from nuclear power to pubs and schools | The Independent.