Spring breathes life along the banks of the Thames in April, setting the scene for a significant journey connecting Chinese and British innovation resources. In mid-spring 2025, a delegation led by Mr. Tang Song, Deputy Director-General of the Investment Promotion Agency of the Ministry of Commerce of China (CIPA), embarked on a science and technology innovation exchange visit to the UK. As a long-term partner of the China International Investment Promotion Center (Europe), the UK Global Technological Innovation Partnership Alliance (GTIP) played an integral role in this major technology event. This innovative dialogue spanning 8,000 kilometers not only witnessed new heights in China-UK technological cooperation but also highlighted GTIP’s professional expertise in the field of international technology transfer.
Oxford Innovation Journey: Decoding Technology Transfer
In the historic university city of Oxford, GTIP meticulously orchestrated an up-close innovation exploration. The delegation first visited the world-renowned Oxford University Innovation (OUI) and held discussions with experts from Oxford Global, a leading innovation consultancy. Both parties explored how to achieve technology transfer and industrial synergy in their respective areas of strength within the current international landscape.
“China possesses vast market demand and manufacturing capabilities, while the UK holds significant advantages in fundamental research and original technologies,” noted the UK Director of GTIP during a symposium at Oxford Investment Consultants. This dialogue, focused on biomedicine and intelligent manufacturing, facilitated the preliminary agreement of three cooperation intentions between Chinese and British enterprises.
At the thematic seminar on China-UK cooperation held at the Oxfordshire Business & Intellectual Property Centre (BIPC), delegates engaged in in-depth discussions on global trends in innovation and intellectual property (IP) protection, reaping considerable insights. The head of the centre emphasized during the meeting, “Currently, China has seen a surge of innovative enterprises with a global vision. They not only possess the capability to export advanced technologies to the world but have also entered a critical phase of technology spillover. In this process, how to properly address core concerns regarding cross-border IP transfer will become a paramount priority for the internationalization development of these enterprises.”
As one outcome of this seminar, GTIP and the Oxfordshire BIPC reached a consensus to jointly organize the “Oxford Innovation Project Investment Roadshow – China Special Session.” This initiative aims to build an efficient platform for connecting Chinese enterprises with international capital and innovation resources, assisting in the global deployment of Chinese technology.
It is worth noting that the Oxfordshire Business & Intellectual Property Centre is an official body under the Oxfordshire County Council—a key local innovation hub. This non-profit organization, acting as a builder of the science and innovation ecosystem, focuses on connecting various entities in technological innovation. It aims to help startups transform creative achievements into tangible productive forces, providing entrepreneurs with comprehensive support including startup funding and intellectual property protection.
London Gatherings: Sounding the Strongest Note of Investment Cooperation
April 3rd, London – GTIP participated in the 2025 “Invest in China” Roundtable for UK Tech Enterprises. The meeting brought together representatives of leading enterprises in the UK’s science and innovation sector, facilitating in-depth dialogue on hot topics in China-UK industrial investment, pathways for technological synergy, and policies for cross-border cooperation, jointly exploring new opportunities for bilateral science and innovation collaboration.
April 4th, London – The “Invest in China” UK Promotion Conference, hosted by China’s Ministry of Commerce and organized by the Investment Promotion Agency, was successfully held in London.
GTIP invited 20 core enterprises and elite universities to attend, including the Imperial College London SynbiCITE, the University of Oxford Endowment Management, representatives from the UK’s NHS, and renowned British companies such as Smith+Nephew and Haleon. The event successfully facilitated 12 one-on-one business meetings on site.
“This event allowed us to see the enormous potential of the Chinese market,” expressed a representative from a participating British biomedicine enterprise. “GTIP’s professional services helped us quickly find suitable Chinese partners.”
GTIP’s Value Creation: Making International Cooperation Simpler
During this UK visit, GTIP demonstrated its three unique core competencies:
- Resource Integration Power: Leveraging its deeply cultivated international innovation network built over many years, GTIP can rapidly connect with top-tier innovation resources like Oxford, building efficient cooperation bridges for Chinese and foreign enterprises.
- Professional Service Capability: From technology assessment to commercial matchmaking, and from intellectual property to policy consulting, GTIP provides full-chain professional services, significantly lowering the barriers to cross-border collaboration.
- Project Implementation Strength: Unlike general matchmaking platforms, GTIP has established a comprehensive follow-up tracking mechanism to ensure every cooperation intention receives continuous support.
Looking Ahead: Building a Global Innovation Community
With the successful conclusion of this UK trip, GTIP has already begun preparations for the next phase of work:
- Establishing a “China-UK Technology Transfer Express” platform to facilitate the connection of innovation resources.
- Organizing “UK Innovation Project China Tours” to accelerate the landing and commercialization of technologies.
- Conducting international IP training to enhance the capabilities of Chinese enterprises “going global.”
“We are in an era of great global innovation collaboration,” stated the head of GTIP. “Our mission is to make international science and technology cooperation simpler, more efficient, and more fruitful.”
This UK visit is just the beginning. In the future, GTIP will continue to leverage its unique platform advantages to propel more Chinese innovation onto the world stage, introduce more international advanced technologies to serve China’s development, and contribute even greater strength to building a global innovation community.
