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Historic Northern Powerhouse summit in Sheffield aims to wow Chinese investors

A senior delegation of Chinese regional leaders are in Sheffield today (Tuesday) for a historic summit that aims to promote stronger UK-China regional collaboration and investment across the Northern Powerhouse.

The UK-China Regional Leaders Summit will see senior regional government leaders from the Yangtze economic belt engage with leaders from across the North in an attempt to attract inward investment and international partnership opportunities.

UK experts on sustainability, integrated transport planning, primary healthcare and the creative industries will all be presenting to the delegation, as both parties explore opportunities for collaboration and investment.

The summit is the result of the UK and China’s increased focus on regional engagement between the two countries, following the third High-Level UK-China People-to-People Dialogue in September 2015.

Communities Secretary Greg Clark, who welcomed the Chinese delegation, said: “The UK is already Europe’s second largest exporter of goods and services to China – this week offered the chance to build on that success.

“The UK-China Regional Leaders Summit will take senior Chinese regional leaders out of London to see for themselves the wealth of expertise and experience that businesses and local government across the Northern Powerhouse have to offer.

“I am delighted to have welcomed this delegation, led by Madame Li Xiaolin. I now look forward to seeing how regional leaders from the UK and China can work closer together.”

Northern Powerhouse Minister James Wharton added: “The Northern Powerhouse was the birthplace of industrial revolution and today is still home to world renowned brands, ambitious businesses and cutting edge research.

“By working together to promote the north of England we can remind the world how much it has to offer and today was an important milestone in that journey.”

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