Chancellor Rachel Reeves visits China to strengthen economic ties amid rising challenges

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is visiting China, the first by a British chancellor since 2019, amid rising economic challenges. The trip has drawn criticism due to past tensions with Beijing over issues like espionage and human rights. Despite opposition calls to cancel the visit, Reeves argues that improving UK-China relations could boost economic growth. She announced agreements worth £600 million for the UK economy over five years during her meetings. The government maintains that current market issues are due to global trends. Reeves emphasized the importance of economic stability and plans to address concerns about Hong Kong and China's role in global conflicts during her trip.