Intralink highlights ‘frontier tech’ opportunities in China as UK PM’s trade mission gets underway

“China is far more than an exciting export destination for UK multinationals.”

According to Stewart Randall, Deputy MD of China at international business development consultancy Intralink, the untapped opportunities for the UK’s small and medium companies – such as advanced manufacturers, specialist engineering firms and tech innovators – are even greater.

Randall also highlighted the potential for British tech firms not only to sell to but collaborate with Chinese businesses as co-creators.

Randall, who has worked in Shanghai for the past ten years, set out his hopes for the trade mission as talks began in Beijing on Wednesday 28^th January. He said he hopes the mission “will encourage many more UK companies to design products, supply chains and technology strategies with China in mind from the outset, rather than treating the market as an afterthought or a risk to be managed”.

He also called for visa-free access to China for UK passport holders to support British entrepreneurs.

“I hope the UK delegation recognises that commercial opportunities are not limited to exporting more UK products to China,” he said. “From the many companies we’ve helped to expand in the country, we know China rewards those that truly embed themselves in the market – through on-the-ground sales, R&D and support teams and local partnerships.”

Randall gave an example of the opportunities for UK tech firms: “China’s ageing population is driving high demand for productivity-enhancing technologies. Advanced automation will enable smart factories and speed manufacturing and construction processes. AI-enabled medical diagnostic tools will ease pressure on China’s stretched healthcare professionals. Smart public services, delivered via AI-driven platforms, can streamline administrative functions. And these are all fields in which UK companies excel.”

While Randall believes the commercial openings for UK tech in China are clear, he said entering the market can also improve company performance.

“Operating in China instils invaluable resilience in companies that embrace the challenge. It’s such a dynamic, fast-moving, competitive environment that ensures businesses iterate more quickly, price more aggressively and innovate in ways that are rarely required in western markets. If your business can succeed in China, it can thrive anywhere.”

He continued: “While the Prime Minister’s visit will inevitably be framed around risk management and trade balances, a central question is whether UK companies are prepared to engage with China as it exists today – not as the low-cost factory of times past, but as a source of immense industrial innovation.

“It’s encouraging that the UK Government is discussing tech cooperation. Caution around sensitive technologies is justified and a focus on ‘safe’ sectors is understandable. But there are many other areas where major opportunities exist, including applied industrial fields such as manufacturing AI, robotics, energy systems and software where China is moving fastest.

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“I believe the UK’s long-term interests lie not only in protecting its strategic assets but in operating at the frontier of industrial and technological innovation, much of which is now centred in China. The UK Government and businesses need to explore secure ways to tap into this.”

Randall added: “There’s a possibility that China will offer visa-free access for UK passport holders during the visit, as it has recently for other European countries and Canada. If this happens, it will be more than symbolic: easier mobility will greatly benefit entrepreneurs, engineers, and mid-sized firms – precisely those who need to engage more deeply in China.

“We wish the trade mission every success and look forward to seeing what it achieves – both immediately and in the years to come.”

With a presence in 27 locations around the world including Shanghai, Beijing, Tokyo, Seoul, Singapore, Bangkok, London, Silicon Valley and Boston, Intralink helps companies secure customers, partners and investors overseas.