Rachel Reeves wants to breathe fresh life into a scheme linking the London and Shanghai stock exchanges, as she touts financial services as the “highlight” of Britain’s economic relations with China on Saturday.
The chancellor will argue for greater co-operation between Britain and China in bonds, pensions and capital markets as well as asset management as she seeks to restart dialogue after a more than five-year hiatus in top-level UK visits to the country.
The UK government senses an opening to boost financial services ties with China as Donald Trump prepares to become US president after he promised to adopt a tougher stance with Beijing, according to financiers briefed on the trip.