Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what discussions he has had with his (a) Chinese and (b) Indian counterpart on a trade deal after the UK leaves the EU.

The UK is preparing to strengthen its trade ties with international partners, including China and India post EU-exit.

In January 2018, the UK and China launched a Joint Trade and Investment Review to explore options to enhance their trade and investment relationship, without pre-judging outcomes. My Rt Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade visited China five times in 2018 to discuss our ambition for a strong trade partnership.

The UK-India Joint Trade Review, announced during the Prime Minister’s visit to India in 2016, has helped us better understand the UK-India trade relationship. In April 2018, both Prime Ministers agreed to forge a new trade partnership, to take forward recommendations from the Review. This work is being progressed through the Joint Working Group on trade which has met eight times since November 2016.