China, UK reengage on climate cooperation: official readout & takeaways
A decade-old Clean Energy Partnership refreshed, prioritizing battery storage, offshore wind power, carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS); nuclear power unmentioned.
Ed Miliband, the UK Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, has visited China as expected, participating in the China-UK Energy Dialogue and a series of related engagements. This visit is one of the policy outcomes of the 2025 China-UK Economic and Financial Dialogue, which was resumed this January after nearly six years.
From March 15 to 17, Miliband met with several senior Chinese officials, including Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang, Minister of Ecology and Environment Huang Runqiu, and head of the National Energy Administration Wang Hongzhi.
Below are the official readouts and press releases from both China and the UK, along with some of my takeaways.
March 14: UK's press release ahead of official meetings
On the eve of the official meetings, the UK government published a press release titled "UK and China Restart Meaningful Climate Change Dialogue," a signal of the UK's intent to further ease tensions in its relationship with China.
"Pragmatic cooperation with China will help keep British people safe from the climate crisis," noted the press release, adding Miliband's expected remark that "there is no route to keeping future generations safe from climate threat without engaging China in responsible climate leadership."
The last time a UK Energy Secretary visited Beijing for a formal climate and energy dialogue was in 2017.
Furthermore, the UK government plans to establish a formal climate dialogue with China, with plans to invite Chinese ministers to London later this year, institutionalizing climate change talks between the two countries, per the press release.
On the same day, Miliband published an op-ed in The Guardian titled "The global battle against the climate crisis needs China. I'm visiting Beijing, and that's what I'll tell them," noting that "It is negligence towards today's and future generations not to engage China on this critical topic."
An obvious but unstated trend is Labour's ongoing efforts to repair historic-low relations with China since taking office last July, including resuming multiple bilateral engagements such as the China-UK Economic and Financial Dialogue after several years of hiatus. Reuters recently said that Britain has lined up a Mandarin-speaking diplomat as the next ambassador to China.
March 15: Minister of Ecology and Environment of China
On March 15, Miliband met with Huang Runqiu, China's Minister of Ecology and Environment. The ministry later published the Chinese readout on its website, which I have translated below:
On March 15, Minister of Ecology and Environment of China Huang Runqiu met with the UK Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Ed Miliband. The two sides engaged in in-depth discussions on topics including cooperation in addressing climate change.
Huang introduced China's policies, actions, and achievements in tackling climate change. He reaffirmed China's commitment to green and low-carbon development that prioritizes eco-environmental protection. He noted China will actively and prudently work toward peaking carbon dioxide emissions and achieving carbon neutrality, as well as accelerate the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development. Wang also highlighted China's full implementation of the Paris Agreement, its constructive participation in the multilateral climate change process, and its continuous efforts to build a fair and rational global climate governance system directed towards cooperation and mutual benefit. China is ready to deepen policy dialogue and practical cooperation with the UK in areas such as carbon markets, climate investment and financing, and adaptation, to make a positive contribution to global climate governance.
Miliband introduced the UK government's latest climate policies and actions and highly commended China's positive achievements in addressing climate change and its leading role in global climate governance. He expressed the hope of strengthening exchanges and cooperation with China on energy transition, carbon market development, climate risk assessment, and adaptation, and of working together to ensure the success of COP30, as well as jointly addressing the global climate change challenge.
March 17: China-UK Energy Dialogue & Chinese Vice Premier
On March 17, the two sides held the 8th China-UK Energy Dialogue, during which Miliband met with Wang Hongzhi, head of Chinese National Energy Administration (NEA). It is worth noting that the 7th dialogue dates back to 2021 and was held virtually. The NEA later published an official Chinese readout on its website; my translation follows below:
8th China-UK Energy Dialogue Held in Beijing
On March 17, Wang Hongzhi, head of Chinese National Energy Administration (NEA) and Ed Miliband, UK Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, co-chaired the 8th China-UK Energy Dialogue in Beijing. The two sides held in-depth discussions on clean energy technologies, energy transition pathways, energy security, and international energy governance.
Wang noted that China and the UK share broad common interests in the energy sector and have a solid foundation for cooperation. He said China is ready to work with the UK to actively implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of both nations, and promote more mutually beneficial outcomes in China-UK energy cooperation.
Miliband stated that he looks forward to strengthening energy sector exchanges between the two countries through mechanisms like the China-UK Energy Dialogue, and the two countries could work together to contribute even more significantly to global efforts against climate change.
Following the dialogue, Wang and Miliband jointly signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the China-UK Clean Energy Partnership. The memorandum identifies key areas for collaboration, including power market reform, grid infrastructure, battery storage, offshore wind power, carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS), as well as clean, low-carbon, and renewable hydrogen.
In support of the dialogue, the two sides will also hold three side events: a China-UK Electricity Market Seminar, the 10th Annual Meeting of the China-UK Offshore Wind Power Industry Cooperation Steering Committee along with a seminar commemorating a decade of cooperation and development, and a China-UK Energy CCUS Seminar. These events will facilitate further exchanges on practical experiences and explore concrete opportunities for collaboration.
Caroline Wilson, UK Ambassador to China and Jonathan Brearley, Chief Executive Officer of Great Britain's energy regulator Office of Gas and Electricity Markets, Ofgem, attended the meeting.
Deputy Director Ren Jingdong and other senior officials from the National Energy Administration were also present.
Miliband concluded his visit with a meeting with Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang. Xinhua released an official English readout:
China, UK pledge to jointly address climate change
BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang met with Ed Miliband, UK Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, in Beijing on Monday. 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, said developing stable and mutually beneficial relations between China and the UK serves the common interests of the two peoples, facilitates global economic growth, and promotes joint efforts to address global challenges.
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, Ding added.
Miliband said the UK government sincerely hopes to enhance engagement with China, is committed to developing a long-term and constructive bilateral relationship, and stands ready to strengthen cooperation with China on energy security and addressing climate change.
March 18: UK's recap of Miliband's visit
UK government on March 18 published a news story on its website recapping Miliband's visit to China.
Here are some highlighted remarks from Miliband during the visit, according to the UK government's summary:
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 met 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.
Takeaways:
Priority areas for cooperation: Key areas identified for cooperation include electricity market reforms and grid integration, battery storage, offshore wind power, carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS), and clean low-carbon and renewable hydrogen. Notably absent from the agenda was any mention of nuclear power.
UK seeks to rekindle pragmatic China approach: By leaving nuclear power off the cooperation agenda, Miliband's visit underscores the Labour government's economic pragmatism toward China. The UK is strategically engaging China in less-sensitive sectors, both to attract investment in battery storage and wind power—where China leads—and to hedge against supply-chain risks heightened by green-protectionist policies such as the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
Complementary electricity markets: For the first time, electricity market reforms and energy storage technologies have been jointly highlighted as core areas of cooperation. The UK brings extensive expertise in spot-market mechanisms and demand-side response, while China leads globally in ultra-high-voltage transmission and energy storage capacity (with approximately 3.35 billion kW of installed power generation capacity as of late 2024). This combination offers clear complementary strengths for both sides.