The United Kingdom (UK) will seek a closer tie with China in its bid to make the country one of the leading business partner in the world of economic globalization, a senior trade official has said.

"China, with its massive influence in global trade, is of great importance to UK's trade and industry, which is trying to attract a new wave of high-value investment," Alistair Darling, Britain's secretary of state for trade and industry, said in the weekend before his visit to China.

Darling, who will visit Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong, is on his first ever trip to China's mainland. He, who will lead a 15-strong delegation, said that Sino-British trade ties will be strengthened through mutual investment, not only trade.

The UK, whose manufacturing industry has shrunk much during its economic structure readjustment in the past decades, finds that it has opportunities in helping China in fields like environment protection and power plant building.

The British trade and industry leader said that globalization provides a tremendous opportunity for both UK and China in which both countries could cooperate to curb climate change and improve bilateral trade.

Darling was appointed Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, replacing Alan Johnson in the government reshuffle in May.

(Xinhua News Agency November 27, 2006)