Liz Truss, Secretary of State for International Trade, United Kingdom

Since its departure from the European Union, the UK has been pursuing new trade deals with markets across the world, including in the Indo-Pacific. In August, the UK announced plans to secure an interim trade deal with India by the end of 2021, while negotiation talks on its accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) are already underway.  The UK is also progressing a Digital Economy Agreement with Singapore, has proposed a new scheme to drive trade with developing countries, and has officially achieved Dialogue Partner status with ASEAN. The Secretary of State for International Trade, Liz Truss, has said these moves “will help unlock opportunities for British businesses in a high-growth region of more than 650 million people”.

To find out more about the UK’s trade strategy in the Indo-Pacific, Asia House will welcome Secretary Truss – who also serves as President of the Board of Trade – for an in-person briefing with Corporate Members on Thursday 2 September.

Speaking at Asia House, Secretary Truss will discuss the roadmap for the UK’s trade policy in Asia, including a potential trade corridor between the region and the UK. Truss will also discuss the challenges to trade between the UK and Asia amid geopolitical tensions and the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the ways and means the UK government and businesses can collaborate to remove trade barriers in the region – particularly for UK exports of digital services and new technologies.

As the Secretary of State for International Trade and President of the Board of Trade, Liz Truss is tasked with leading the UK’s work in championing free trade through securing new FTAs, contributing to the development of a new UK global tariff policy, and helping to reform the World Trade Organization.  Other responsibilities include upgrading the UK’s export performance and increasing the amount and value of foreign direct investment into the UK.

Secretary Truss was previously Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice from July 2016 until June 2017. She was Chief Secretary to the Treasury from June 2017 until July 2019.

This in-person briefing is held exclusively for Asia House Corporate Members. To register interest in attending, please contact Edward Danks at edward.danks@asiahouse.co.uk