UK named 'country of honor' at Shanghai trade fair

British companies from the advanced engineering and automotive industries will hunt for commercial opportunities alongside Chinese partners at a major trade fair in Shanghai this week.

Rona Fairhead, the United Kingdom's minister for trade and export promotion, and Jake Berry, the minister for the Northern Powerhouse, will lead a 100-strong business delegation to the China International Industry Fair, which began on Tuesday and concludes on Saturday.

The UK has been named "country of honor" and official partner at the fair, which will host 2,500 companies from 28 countries and regions. The fair is a flagship event for advanced manufacturing in China, covering new energy vehicles, big data, robotics, aerospace and clean energy, among other technologies.