Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
National
Eleni Courea and Dan Sabbagh

UK trade minister visits China at same time as head of British military

China Tony Radakin Beijing United Kingdom Donald Trump Rachel Reeves Ukraine London Russia United States
Douglas Alexander portrait: he is standing outdoors wearing a dark quilted jacket and jumper. He is in his mid-to-late 50s and has short, greying dark hair.
Douglas Alexander’s trip to China was said to be unrelated to negotiations over the future of British Steel or Donald Trump’s tariffs. Photograph: Katherine Anne Rose/The Observer

A trade minister has travelled to China for an unpublicised visit this week at the same time as the head of the British military, the Guardian has learned.

Douglas Alexander, the minister for trade policy and economic security, is paying a visit to Beijing this week for talks with Chinese counterparts. He is also due to visit Hainan and Hong Kong.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
What Happened to Travis Barker? Musician Shares Hospital Photos as Kourtney Kardashian Stays by His Side
Travis Barker says he underwent cubital tunnel release surgery after experiencing numbness in his arm, hand and fingers, adding that he hopes to resume drumming within weeks.
International Business Times UK
International Business Times UK
Woman orders a Whopper and a Whopper Jr. at a mall Burger King. Then she sees the $30 total and shows the camera the tray: ‘This is crazy’
She showed everything that came with it.
We Got This Covered
We Got This Covered
'I didn't know this place existed': Britney Spears enjoys family day at Dollywood
Britney Spears enjoyed a visit to Dollywood with her two sons - but admitted she hadn't been aware the theme park "existed" before their trip.
BANG Premier
BANG Premier
How Jim Bakker became the Johnny Carson of Christian TV
When I was researching my 2017 book, “PTL: The Rise and Fall of Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker’s Evangelical Empire,” I interviewed dozens of former staffers and supporters of PTL, the ministry, television and theme park empire that the Bakkers built starting in the 1970s.
The Conversation
The Conversation
GTA 6 Full Nudity and Censorship Updates: Quick Facts on Jason and Lucia in the Upcoming Release
An IGN gameplay demonstration showed GTA VI protagonist Jason naked in a shower, while official ratings confirm nudity and sexual content. The extent of explicit imagery remains unclear
International Business Times UK
International Business Times UK
Nearly Two in Three Students Who Vape Use Geek Bar as 1.44 Million U.S. Youth Report E-Cigarette Use
About 1.44 million U.S. students vape, and 64% of them use Geek Bar, a new 2025 youth survey analysis shows. Here is what parents should know now.
Medical Daily
Medical Daily
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.
Download on the AppStore Get it on Google Play