Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, visited China in March 2025 and met with Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang, China’s National Energy Administrator Minister Wang Hongzhi, and China’s Ecology and Environment Minister Huang Runqiu in Beijing to commit to pragmatic engagement on the climate crisis, cooperating with China to reduce global emissions.
Writing in The Guardian ahead of the visit, Miliband said: “The only way to respond to [the climate crisis] is with decisive action at home and abroad… climate action at home without pushing larger countries to do their fair share would not protect current and future generations. Emissions know no borders, and we will only protect our farmers, our pensioners and our children if we get other countries of the world to play their part.”
On Monday 17 March, Ed Miliband met with Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang in Beijing. The two sides agreed to enhance cooperation in jointly addressing climate change. Ding, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, noted that China is ready to work with the UK to earnestly implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of both countries, consolidate the momentum for improvement and development of bilateral ties, deepen cooperation in areas such as financial services, trade and investment and low-carbon development, and jointly address climate change to better benefit the people of both countries and the world.
Miliband and China’s National Energy Administrator Minister, Wang Hongzhi, also co-hosted the 8th China-UK Energy Dialogue in Beijing on 17 March. The two sides exchanged views on topics including clean energy technologies, energy transition, energy security and global energy governance. Following the dialogue, Miliband and Minister Wang signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the China-UK Clean Energy Partnership, which identifies priorities for collaboration, including power market reform, power grids, battery storage, offshore wind energy, carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS), clean low-carbon and renewable hydrogen.
Earlier, on Saturday, 15 March, Miliband met with China’s Ecology and Environment Minister, Huang Runqiu, and held in-depth discussions on topics including cooperation in climate change. Minister Huang outlined China’s policies, actions, and achievements in combating climate change, expressing China’s willingness further to deepen policy dialogue and practical cooperation with the UK in areas such as carbon markets, climate investment and financing, and climate adaptation. He emphasised that such collaboration would contribute positively to global climate governance.
The Energy Secretary will refresh the 10-year-old UK Clean Energy Partnership with China – which will now provide clarity on areas where the UK government can securely collaborate with China on areas of mutual benefit – such as new emerging technologies, including hydrogen and carbon capture and storage. The UK will also share expertise on phasing out coal, having closed its last coal-fired power station last year.
Ed Miliband said:
“We can only keep future generations safe from climate change if all major emitters act. It is simply an act of negligence to today’s and future generations not to engage China on how it can play its part in taking action on climate.
That is why I will be meeting Chinese ministers for frank conversations about how both countries can fulfil the aims of the Paris Climate Agreement, to which both countries are signed up.
Our Plan for Change and clean energy superpower mission is about energy security, lower bills, good jobs and growth for the British people. It is with this mission that we can also influence climate action on a global stage, fight for our way of life and keep our planet safe for our children and grandchildren.”
Coinciding with Miliband’s visit to China, CBBC, in partnership with the British Embassy and the British Chamber of Commerce in China, hosted the UK-China Clean Energy Reception in Beijing. The event brought together nearly 200 guests, including representatives from the UK government, Chinese companies and UK businesses, providing a valuable platform for business and government stakeholders to network and explore collaboration opportunities in the sector.
CBBC’s Chief Executive Peter Burnett, who is visiting China, attended the event alongside Tom Simpson, CBBC’s Managing Director for China.
Speaking at the event, CBBC’s Chief Executive Peter Burnett said:
“There are important shared objectives between businesses in the UK and China, including tackling climate change, promoting sustainability, and developing clean, efficient, and safe energy solutions. For businesses, this dialogue is incredibly important. All successful businesses mitigate as much risk from their operations as they can. Managing climate-related risks has become an essential business objective, particularly as we have seen the significant impact of climate change worldwide. At CBBC, we will continue to prioritise this issue. Addressing climate change is not just necessary – it also supports economic growth, prosperity, and job creation.”
