Foreign and Military Affairs

Agreements reached by UK, China

(Agencies)
Updated: 2010-11-09 09:00

Prime Minister David Cameron leads a heavyweight group of British politicians and business chiefs on a visit to China this week which will focus on expanding trade ties with the world's second-largest economy.

Trade between the two countries totalled $35 billion in the first nine months of this year, up 30 percent on the previous year.

The following are some of the agreements between Britain and China announced ahead of the trip:

Britain on Monday signed a deal to allow the export of British breeding pigs to China, home to half the world's pig population. The deal and any future business is expected to bring about 45 million pounds ($73 million) to the British pig industry over the next five years.

British Business Secretary Vince Cable signed an agreement to limit the name Scotch whisky to the drink produced in Scotland, a move to stop imitation brands. A trade group estimates that whisky exports to China, now worth 80 million pounds a year, could double over the next five years.

Britain and China agreed to invest jointly in a research project into solar energy and fuel cells.