The United Kingdom has dispatched its largest business delegation in recent years to western China, with over 100 representatives from 65 UK institutions and companies attending the ongoing eighth Western China International Fair for Investment and Trade (WCIFIT) held from Thursday to Sunday in Chongqing.
The UK, honored as the guest country for the first time at WCIFIT, inaugurated its National Pavilion, a 600-square-meter showcase of British innovation and enterprise on Thursday. The UK-China (Chongqing) Growth Exchange was also held later that day. British Ambassador to China Peter Wilson and British Trade Commissioner for China Lewis Neal are attending the fair.
The event, hosted at the Chongqing International Expo Center and the Yuelai International Convention Center in the city’s Liangjiang New Area, aims to enhance cooperation and opening-up efforts in western China. It has attracted nearly 1,400 companies from 50 countries and regions, filling a total exhibition area of about 150,000 square meters.
As a major European investor in China, the UK has attracted a cumulative $109.30 billion (£81.4 billion) in Chinese direct investment from 2000 to 2025. Chongqing remains a vital partner, with trade volume rising 25 percent last year to 13 billion yuan ($1.91 billion), and over 110 British companies operating locally. Last year, the UK celebrated the 25th anniversary of its consulate in Chongqing.