By BLOOMBERG

SYDNEY • China wants to deepen financial and investment links with the UK as Britain seeks to boost two way trade once it leaves the European Union (EU).

In an investment boost for UK businesses operating in China’s Belt and Road Initiative, the UK government announced up to £25 billion (RM136 billion) in financial support, including loan guarantees, as part of the bilateral trade talks this weekend in Beijing.

Other agreements included speeding up the London-Shanghai Stock Connect initiative, which will mean investors in each country will be able to trade shares listed on the other’s stock exchange.

Steps to establish a bond connect between the two countries that will help open up the bond market to mutual trading were also announced along with a new feasibility study on making China accessible to UK’s asset management sector.

Vice Premier Ma Kai (picture) said both countries should also push cooperation to a new level in areas including nuclear-power generation, manufacturing, high-speed rail, high-end manufacturing, and trade and investment liberalisation.

“The UK has obvious financial advantages and its financial development is robust,” Ma said at the ninth annual UK-China Economic and Financial Dialogue in Beijing on Saturday.

Ma was holding talks with UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond, with the two signing about £1.4 billion of trade and investment deals.