Twenty advanced British medical technology projects were heralded at the UK China (Zhuhai) Life Sciences Tech Transfer & Investment Seminar, which opened on Sept 25. More than 50 local enterprises and investors were participating.
Representatives from the UK Department for International Trade and London & Partners, the latter being the official promotional company for the British capital, spoke of the vast UK market and favorable business environment. Researchers at the University of Oxford, Lancaster University, and the University of Central Lancashire meanwhile sought cooperation regarding their ongoing programs. Furthermore, business consultancy services and investment resources were offered by Sinan Compass Ltd (UK), ConnectChina, and other agencies.
Life science technology is a pillar industry in the health sector of the UK economy. It involves more than 5,000 enterprises employing nearly 235,000 workers who contribute to average annual revenue of £64 billion ($86 billion) and exports worth £30 billion ($40.4 billion), according to Emily Liang, head of the Department for International Trade.
Life science technology [File Photo]
To support such prosperity, the UK government recently launched a £150 million ($202 million) industrial strategy fund covering drug production, advanced therapies, and vaccines among other emerging technologies.
Under this scenario, the Department for International Trade invited related Zhuhai firms to join in an October business delegation to the UK. It promised equity and technology investment opportunities along with one-on-one talks with more than 60 well-known British enterprises.
The British Consulate-General in Guangzhou, Department for International Trade, and Zhuhai Bureau of Commerce sponsored the networking event, with the Zhuhai Enterprises Association for Foreign Economic Cooperation organizing it.