While George Osborne’s Northern Powerhouse continues to grab headlines, and cause confusion among two-thirds of Brits, business secretary Sajid Javid wants to fire up the Midlands Engine.
Javid is currently in talks with with the Chinese minister of commerce Gao Hucheng, who is visiting the UK to explore the enterprises found in the Midlands. As it stands, Britain is the second largest EU exporter to China and Javid hopes to develop cooperation further. “Today’s visit by Chinese minister of commerce Gao Hucheng to Birmingham was a great opportunity to showcase the Midlands as an engine for growth and investment,” Javid said. “The UK is the leading destination for Chinese businesses bringing economic and jobs benefits not only to the Midlands but to the UK as a whole.”
Read more on business in the Midlands:
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- The Northern Powerhouse? It’s the Midlands Powerhouse that has the advantage
- George Osborne fuels Jaguar Land Rover with £16.6m fund to create 200 Midlands jobs
Elsewhere, trade and investment minister Francis Maude has provided assistance to guide Hucheng around the HS2 development at Curzon Street in Birmingham.
“The Midlands is home to some of the most innovative and exciting companies and universities in the country, and we are keen to get more investment into the region to boost jobs and growth for the Midlands Engine,” said Maude. Business contracts to be signed include:Sajid Javid is also on a crusade to investigate poor internet speeds that UK businesses are suffering from, following Ofcom’s revelation of a “speeds gap”.
By Zen Terrelonge Image: ShutterstockShare this story