China’s Chery would use a British plant owned by Jaguar Land Rover to manufacture cars, under proposals backed by the UK government and set to be discussed during Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit to Beijing next week.
Under the proposal, the Chinese company would use an existing manufacturing facility owned by JLR to build cars in Britain, according to two people familiar with the discussions. The UK has been actively courting Chery to make its vehicles in the country for the last few years, three people close to the talks added.
While deal negotiations are at an early stage and details are yet to be finalised, Chery and JLR will hold exploratory talks during Starmer’s visit to China, the first by a British premier in eight years. The delegation, which includes key business leaders, will arrive a week after the UK approved a Chinese “super embassy” in London, a scheme that had previously attracted criticism in Washington amid heightened geopolitical tensions.