Press release: Creative partnerships strengthen trade ties between UK and China

As well as strengthening collaboration between the two countries on mutually important cultural issues, commercial deals between British and Chinese companies were signed at this week’s UK-China High-Level People-to-People Dialogue (P2P).

Culture Secretary Karen Bradley met Chinese Vice-Premier Liu Yandong at the Southbank Centre as part of a number of dialogues championing the relationship between the two nations across culture, the creative industries, sport, youth and tourism.

In the Royal Festival Hall, Minister for Creative Industries Matt Hancock and his Chinese counterpart, Vice-Minister Tong Gang, witnessed the signing of the eleven creative deals. Some of the exciting collaborations include:

  • The Building Centre announced a partnership with Shanghai Creative City that will see investment in the UK to build a China-UK Innovation Centre in London, potentially creating 100 new jobs

  • Popular Cbeebies show “Octonauts” will be expanded in China and the rest of the world through a partnership between Silvergate Media and Chinese firm Wanda

  • Veteran Warwickshire-based video game specialists Codemasters teaming up with Chinese partners to launch video games into the Chinese market

  • Soccer Manager will be co-developing their online football management games into China

China is one of the most important markets for UK creative export opportunities, with DIT aiming to double creative exports and the number of creative businesses exporting through the Creative Industries International Strategy by 2020.

Latest statistics suggest that British exports to China totalled £16.8 billion in 2016, an increase of 2.4% on the previous year, and announcements like todays show that growth is set to continue.

Last week DCMS announced the Creative Industries contributed almost £250bn to the UK economy in 2016 up 3.6 per cent year-on-year and up 29 per cent since 2010. Creative sectors now account for 14.2 per cent of the UK’s GVA.

Culture Secretary Karen Bradley said:

The UK’s creative industries, our culture and sport, play a vital role in shaping how we are seen around the world and boosting the economy.

And it is fantastic that in the first half of this year tourism from China increased by 47 percent, with visitors spending a record £231m.

China is a global cultural leader and I am delighted to develop future opportunities and deepen our relationship throughout this important week of events.

Minister for Investment, Mark Garnier, said:

UK exports to China are growing strongly, but it’s clear that there is still vast untapped demand for British goods and services in the Chinese market.

The opportunities for growth are there, and we will continue to cultivate relationships such as these, not only to build the UK culture of exporting, but also to help businesses of all sizes forge ties with potential buyers and investors.

Toby Evan-Jones, Business Development Director, Codemasters, said:

As the world’s largest gaming market, with a value of over $24 billion in 2016, the strategic importance of China for any video game business is clear. For a number of years, Codemasters has been actively exploring strategic alliances within China and we’ve been lucky enough to build some very strong relationships during this time, with multiple deals signed in recent months. This includes the release of two of our games on PC in China, DiRT 4 and F1 2017, in collaboration with Tencent.

This year’s P2P celebrates the opening of the V&A gallery at Design Society in Shekou, the first permanent presence of a British museum outside the UK. The event also looks forward to the display of the Terracotta Warriors for the first time in over a decade in the UK at Liverpool World Museum in 2018. Other key agreements and announcements as part of the P2P in other DCMS sectors include:

  • A renewal of the current Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Tourism (due to expire in September 2018) aiming to increase the number of visitors between UK and China

  • Cooperation between the China Academy of Cultural Heritage and Historic England on the preservation and innovative management of the Great Wall of China and Hadrian’s Wall

  • The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and Fuzhou Culture and Tourism Investment Company signed an MoU to recreate Shakespeare’s birthplace and family home in China at a new centre celebrating three great literary figures – Shakespeare, Cervantes, and Tang Xianzu, the region’s own famous son who is regarded as the Shakespeare of the East.

  • An MoU promoting cultural cooperation between Shanghai Municipal Administration and Festivals Edinburgh through a series of initiatives including the exploration of opportunities for artists, arts professionals and senior cultural influencers, knowledge transfer in aspects of festival management and the development of relationships aimed at an exchange of productions

  • The Royal Opera House and the Shanghai Grand Theatre Arts Group signed an MoU setting out a framework of exchange and joint activities

The British Library and Shanghai Library to co-operate on the exhibition “Treasures from the Literary Archive”

Other UK-Chinese creative partnerships announced at the signing ceremony include:

  • Chinese Company Beijing Yidiantong Productions Ltd to acquire the sole and exclusive license of TV shows “Alice’s Adventures Underground” and “Adventures in Wonderland” in China

  • BYD, the sixth-largest car manufacturer in China, will launch a rally car in Codemaster’s DiRt 4 game

  • A documentaries partnership between UK Company Clipper Media and Chinese Company Shuimu Xinxin Media on “Sherlock Holmes” and “The Porcelain City”

  • A film co-production on “The Overseas Chinese”, a large-scale TV series themed on overseas immigration, between UK Company Propeller TV and Chinese Company Shanghai QianYi Zhicheng Culture and Media

  • An MoU to collaborate on pre-recorded, live-stream, stage and live performance technology and intellectual property between the Royal Opera House and Chinese Company Tencent

  • A music agreement between UK Company Really Useful Group Ltd and Chinese Company SMG Performing Arts Group

  • A co-production of the film “Special Couple” between UK Company Zephyr Special Couple Ltd and Shanghai Dimension Film

Both the UK and Chinese governments acknowledged successful cooperation in culture, tourism and sport since last year, including:

  • Increased exchange and partnership between public cultural institutions, including exhibitions such as “A History of the World in 100 Objects” co-presented by the National Museum of China, Shanghai Museum and the British Museum and cooperation between city art festivals, such as the cooperation agreement between Shanghai and Edinburgh

  • The Royal Shakespeare Company’s programme of co-produced translations of Shakespeare’s work for Chinese audiences the Royal Opera House performing arts skills exchange programme with UK partners and the Shanghai Grand Theatre

  • Opening of the Design Society in Shenzhen and its inaugural exhibition Values of Design, at the new V&A Gallery and the launch of the China-UK Arts Management Professional Development Programme

  • The British Council and Beijing University jointly hosted China-UK Cultural Heritage High Level Dialogue in February 2017

  • The UK-China Gaming Creative Skills Workshop to share policy and know-how in game development and marketing and implementation of the Film Co-Production Agreement and TV Co-Production Agreement.

  • Cooperation between UK and Chinese publishing houses and publication of Chinese-themed books in the UK

  • China carried out the “Beautiful China 2017 Year of Silk Road Tourism” campaign in the UK

  • VisitBritain partnered with SuperSports, China’s official Premier League broadcaster, to launch a competition to find China’s biggest Premier League fan

  • Chinese Wushi, Dragon Dance and Rouli Ball teams visited UK for exchange and training



News story: Pupils from across the country celebrate Mandarin success

The celebration event took place today (Wednesday 6 December) and is part of the China and UK People to People event.

Mandarin Chinese is the most spoken language in the world, and the programme delivered through secondary schools will equip young people with the knowledge and skills to compete in a global jobs market.

The Mandarin Excellence Programme, delivered by the UCL Institute of Education in partnership with the British Council, is on track to have 5,000 young people fluent in Mandarin by 2020 – helping to ensure Britain has the skills fit for the future.

The programme was introduced in September 2016 and the results from the first year show that more than 380 out of 400 pupils achieved over 80 percent in reading, writing, listening and speaking tests, which shows their quick progress and the advanced understanding of the language.

School Standards Minister Nick Gibb said:

Mandarin Chinese is the most spoken language in the world, so this programme plays a crucial role in helping these pupils achieve the fluency they need to succeed in an increasingly global economy.

The level of fluency in Mandarin achieved by these dedicated pupils after the first year demonstrates the commitment of the pupils and teachers involved in the programme. Young people fluent in Mandarin will be at a significant advantage when competing for jobs with their peers from around the world, and will help us to build a Britain that is fit for the future and ready to compete.

Pupils on the programme spend an average of eight hours per week studying the language, including four hours of classroom taught lessons.

In addition to improving students’ fluency in the language, the UCL Institute of Education, aims to have trained at least 100 new qualified Chinese teachers by the end of the programme.

Katharine Carruthers, Director of the UCL Institute Of Education (IOE), said:

The pupils who took part in the programme of events at the Foreign Office today had the opportunity to participate in what must surely have been the country’s largest ever Chinese lesson. They met government ministers from both the UK and China and talked enthusiastically about their progress in the language, their enjoyment of lessons and the forthcoming visit to China in July 2018. They all felt this was a great opportunity to see the Foreign Office, to meet pupils from other schools and to realise that they are participating in a prestigious national DfE programme which is considered of significant importance to both the UK and China.

Mark Herbert, Head of Schools Programmes at the British Council said:

Mandarin Chinese is one of the languages that matters most to the UK’s future – and its importance is only likely to increase as the country repositions itself on the world stage. Not only is learning Mandarin a fascinating process which creates a connection to the rich and varied Chinese culture but is also a language spoken by over a billion people worldwide. If the UK is to remain globally competitive in the years ahead, we need many more young people being given the chance to master Mandarin.

The celebration event, which took place today, was held at the Foreign Office and was attended by over 140 pupils from 14 schools who are part of the scheme. The event formed part of the People to People week to celebrate the cultural, educational and social links with China.

The pupils took part in a number of activities today that were designed to showcase their skills and help them continue their learning. This included a game of Chinese whispers, where the pupils were split into groups and had to communicate a message in Mandarin to help them practise their Mandarin speaking. The pupils were also invited to contribute to scrolls which included the words and characters they had learnt through their time on the programme.

This programme and associated funding is available to state-funded secondary schools with good or outstanding Ofsted ratings.



Research and analysis: Benchmarking the efficiency of flood risk management asset maintenance costs

The Environment Agency spends £214 million each year (2016 to 2017 figures) to maintain flood risk management assets.

This project explored methods to identify potential efficiency improvements by comparing local maintenance costs. The project identified an effective method for doing this but also concluded that data quality is not yet good enough to apply the method. This report is helping the Environment Agency to focus its efforts to improve data quality.



Press release: Government to support development of next-generation nuclear technology

  • UK to become world-leader in developing next-generation advanced reactor programme
  • boost to nuclear fusion research at Culham in Oxfordshire
  • launch of next phase of Nuclear Innovation Programme, to include ambitious plans for safety, security and advanced fuels

The government announced today significant support to help exploit the potential for the UK to become a world-leader in developing the next generation of nuclear technologies.

A core objective of the government’s Industrial Strategy is to ensure the UK is developing the technologies of the future and preparing to seize the opportunities they bring and build on its strengths.

The government is announcing today that funding is being made available over the next 3 years to help support research and development into innovative advanced and small modular reactors as well as assess their feasibility and accelerate the development of promising designs.

The government will also be supporting early access to regulators to build the capability and capacity needed to assess and licence small reactor designs and will establish an expert finance group to advise how small reactor projects could raise private investment in the UK.

In addition, the government plans to shortly launch the second phase of its Nuclear Innovation Programme, including up to £8 million for work on modern safety and security methodologies and studies in advanced fuels.

These announcements demonstrate the government’s commitment to the nuclear innovations of the future, which build on the UK’s considerable strength in the sector and its continued partnership working with the sector, including ongoing advanced discussions toward a nuclear sector deal.

Business Secretary Greg Clark said:

New industry figures show that the UK’s civil nuclear sector contributed £6.4 billion to the UK economy last year. Today’s announcements recognise the importance of industry driving innovation, supported by government, so the sector continues to compete at the very highest level, not just in the UK but globally.

Helping to put the UK at the forefront of future technologies which have the potential to create value and jobs across the whole UK are core objectives of our Industrial Strategy.

A further £86 million was announced today for fusion research to set up a national fusion technology platform at the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy in Oxfordshire.

The new investment will reinforce the UK’s world-leading fusion research and development capability, and allow UK firms to compete for up to a further £1 billion of international contracts for fusion technologies, including for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER).

Science Minister Jo Johnson said:

Our new Industrial Strategy clearly detailed our ambition to build on the UK’s existing scientific strengths and ensure UK expertise remains at the forefront of pioneering research that has global impact.

This new funding for nuclear fusion research will establish a unique set of research and innovation capabilities that will safeguard the exceptional work already taking place in Culham by scientists and engineers from across the world, and emphasises the UK’s commitment to international collaboration.

ITER, the successor project to the EU’s Joint European Torus (JET) reactor in Culham, is currently under construction in France and will continue efforts to develop a clean, safe and virtually limitless energy source.

Speaking at today’s Nuclear Industry Association’s annual conference, Energy Minister Richard Harrington also set out the next steps to allow large new nuclear projects to apply for planning consent after 2025.

He also signalled that the government would bring forward consultations in the New Year on the UK’s long-term nuclear waste management strategy, also known as a geological disposal facility. This will enable the development of a multi-billion-pound infrastructure project, creating thousands of jobs and opportunities for UK companies in the supply chain.

Energy Minister Richard Harrington said:

As we set out in our Industrial Strategy, the nuclear sector has a key role to play in increasing productivity and driving clean growth across the country. Nuclear is a vital part of our energy mix, providing low carbon power now and into the future so today’s package of new measures will help to boost innovation and provide greater clarity on our future plans.

Today’s announcements follow the recent launch of the Industrial Strategy white paper which set out the government’s vision for an economy that can drive growth across the country, boost national productivity and provide UK business with certainty.

The government support comes as the Nuclear Industry Council published proposals today as part of its ongoing work to drive down the cost of nuclear energy for consumers while maintaining the UK’s world-leading expertise in the field.

Industry, with government backing, will focus on bringing on line future technologies, target cost reductions in new build and decommissioning activities, and in creating a highly-skilled and diverse workforce.

Notes to editors

Advanced modular reactors

The government is providing up to £56 million research and development (R&D) funding for new technologies through a 2-stage Advanced Modular Reactor (AMR) R&D project over 3 years. Stage 1 comprises up to £4 million for feasibility studies and up to £7 million to further develop the capability of nuclear regulators who support and assess advanced nuclear technologies. Subject to Stage 1 demonstrating clear value for money through a formal re-approval process with the Treasury, up to £40 million will be available for AMR R&D projects and up to a further £5 million for regulators.

Fusion

The government has awarded the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) £86 million to establish a centre to support innovation and expertise in nuclear fusion technologies. This move reinforces the UK’s world-leading fusion R&D capability and creates a fusion innovation centre of global significance.

The funding will establish a National Fusion Technology Platform (NaFTeP) at UKAEA’s Culham Centre for Fusion Energy in Oxfordshire.

NaFTeP will bring together organisations from across the supply chain to provide a unique, world-leading set of nuclear research and innovation facilities in tritium and fusion technology. NaFTeP will support UK industry in targeting major scientific and engineering contracts in nuclear fusion and safeguard the future of the Culham site and the world-class scientists and engineers that work there.

Nuclear Industry Council

The Industrial Strategy green paper cited nuclear as suitable for a potential Sector Deal.

Since then Lord John Hutton, in his capacity as Chair of the Nuclear Industry Council, has led the sector in the development of a range of proposals across key areas including new build, waste and decommissioning, R&D and skills.

The industry has today published its proposals, including ideas that target significant cost reductions in new build and decommissioning.

New Nuclear National Policy Statement (NPS)

Government is considering the planning framework for nuclear power generation over 1 gigawatt for the long term. The current National Policy Statement (NPS) for nuclear will remain in place for as long as it is required. Government is consulting on the arrangements for the siting of nuclear power stations for the period beyond 2025.

This consultation sets out the process and the updated high level criteria used to assess potentially suitable sites. There will be a further consultation on a new NPS during late 2018, which will build on the outcome.

Government’s intention is to carry forward existing sites into the new NPS, subject to them meeting the updated siting criteria and environmental assessments.

Government continues to give those sites, and projects, strong support.

This consultation and the subsequent NPS being developed under this process will not apply to SMRs. The government will consider planning issues related to smaller reactors of less than 1GW separately.

Geological Disposal Facility (GDF)

The government intends to launch 2 public consultations in the New Year on working with communities in an intended consent-based siting process; and on a National Policy Statement (NPS) for GDF infrastructure.

Nuclear Innovation Programme

The second phase of the Nuclear Innovation Programme consists of:

  • £3.7 million of funding for work on reactor design and safety engineering. This work will aim to:
    • develop better tools for developing and evaluating safety and security cases
    • improve the evaluation of nuclear safety and security performance
    • increase understanding of how nuclear safety, nuclear security and safeguards requirements can be delivered throughout the design process
  • £4.3 million of funding for work on advanced nuclear fuels. This work will aim to:
    • develop world leading laboratories able to develop accident tolerant fuels and to
    • develop improved computer modelling and simulation of how advanced nuclear fuels behave in operation
    • support the deployment of advanced nuclear reactors, such as generation IV technologies

As part of the first phase of the Nuclear Innovation Programme launched last year the government has also awarded £5 million of contracts for work on nuclear advanced materials and manufacturing. This funding is for Stage 2 of a small business research initiative and includes work on:

  • developing a single manufacturing platform environment
  • intelligent fixtures for optimised and radical manufacture
  • material / manufacturing technology evaluation for advanced reactors
  • nano-structured steels to extend operational performance for nuclear reactors
  • improved understanding and modelling of thin section weldments


Consultation outcome: National Policy Statement for new nuclear above 1GW post 2025: siting criteria and process

Updated: Government response published.

National Policy Statements (NPS) establish the case for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects, as defined in the Planning Act 2008. The current nuclear power NPS lists 8 sites as potentially suitable for the deployment of new nuclear power stations by the end of 2025.

We are considering the planning framework for nuclear power generation for the long term by starting work towards a new NPS for nuclear power generation for deployment after 2025. The first step towards this new NPS is to consult on the process and criteria for designating potentially suitable sites for the deployment of new nuclear power stations between 2026 to 2035 and with over 1GW of single reactor electricity generating capacity. There will be a further consultation on the draft NPS, which will build on the outcome of this consultation.

As part of the designation of the NPS, an Assessment of Sustainability (AoS) will also be undertaken. The scoping report on the AoS sets out how it will be undertaken, the level and type of information it will cover, and how it will be integrated into the development of the proposed new NPS for nuclear. In accordance with Regulation 12(5) of the Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes Regulations 2004, only specific statutory consultees are being consulted on the AoS Scoping Report. However, we have made the scoping report publicly available on this page, for information purposes only.

We are keen for views on the proposed process and criteria from industry, local authorities, regulators and non-departmental public bodies, NGOs and local residents.

Assessment of Sustainability

Only specific statutory consultees are being consulted on the AoS Scoping Report. This consultation is open for the statutory 5 week period and closes on 11 January 2018.