Connecting Greater Manchester
and Greater China.
Manchester china forum
Connecting Greater Manchester and Greater China
Manchester China Forum (MCF) is Greater Manchester’s dedicated platform for strengthening long-term economic, educational and cultural relationships with Greater China.
Established in 2013 by former Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne, the Forum was created to ensure Greater Manchester was ready to engage with China’s rapid economic growth and the opportunities it presents. Over the past decade, MCF has become a recognised and highly effective model of international city-to-city partnership, helping position Greater Manchester as one of the UK’s leading regional gateways to China.
As a public-private partnership with strong civic, academic and commercial backing, Manchester China Forum plays a central role in driving the city region’s international agenda and sustaining meaningful engagement with Chinese partners.
A Relationship Built on Investment and Delivery
Since the inception of MCF, Chinese firms have invested in projects with a combined development value of more than £6 billion across Greater Manchester.
Major investments include:
- The Far East Consortium’s £1 billion investment into the Northern Gateway regeneration project
- The £1 billion Airport City development, involving Beijing Construction Engineering Group as a major equity partner
- These landmark schemes reflect both confidence in the region and the depth of long-term commercial engagement between Greater Manchester and Chinese investors.
Connectivity has played an important role in supporting this growth. Direct air routes between Manchester and Hong Kong and Beijing have strengthened links not only between the city region and Greater China, but across the wider North West of England.
Strategic City-to-City Partnerships
Manchester China Forum maintains close relationships with leading Chinese cities and districts, including Wuhan, Shenzhen, Tianjin and Beijing’s Haidian District – one of China’s foremost innovation hubs.
These relationships support:
- Bilateral trade and investment
- University and research collaboration
- Cultural exchange
- Business-to-business partnerships
- Policy dialogue and civic engagement
This structured, long-term approach differentiates Manchester’s engagement model and ensures continuity beyond individual projects.
Sector Strengths
Manchester China Forum supports engagement across Greater Manchester’s priority growth sectors, including:
Advanced materials & manufacturing
Home to global leaders in sustainable packaging, technical textiles, surfaces and coatings, composites and light alloy, the city is driving the next industrial revolution.
Creative & media
Greater Manchester is the UK’s leading creative and media cluster outside London, with a £5bn ecosystem where world-class creativity collides with advanced technology.
Financial, professional & business services
Greater Manchester is home to the largest financial, professional and business services (FPBS) sector outside London, contributing 20% of the local economy.
Life sciences & health innovation
Greater Manchester is one of the UK’s leading life sciences regions, combining world-class clinical research, real-world data excellence and a uniquely connected health and innovation ecosystem.
Low carbon
Greater Manchester is fast-tracking to carbon neutrality by 2038, creating major opportunities in clean energy, hydrogen, batteries and smart systems within a live urban testbed for scalable low carbon innovation.
Digital, cyber & AI
With world-class businesses, a deep tech talent pool and strong industry collaboration, Greater Manchester is a city region where digital ideas scale globally.
Academic Excellence and Talent Exchange
Manchester is home to five universities with globally recognised research strengths. MCF maintains strong links across these institutions, facilitating collaboration, knowledge exchange and student mobility.
The Manchester China Friendship Programme – developed in partnership with the The University of Manchester – has engaged more than 150 students across disciplines and cultural backgrounds, supporting deeper understanding and integration between Chinese students and the wider city region.
Academic collaboration continues to be a cornerstone of the Manchester–China relationship, particularly in advanced materials, graphene research, life sciences and digital innovation.
Why Chinese Businesses Choose Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester offers a powerful combination of scale, connectivity and governance that is rare outside capital cities.
It is the UK’s largest city-region economy outside London, home to 2.8 million people and more than 7 million within a one-hour commute. Manchester Airport provides extensive international connectivity, while integrated rail and motorway networks link the region efficiently to major UK markets.
The city region also benefits from one of the most comprehensive devolution agreements in England, with local control across transport, skills, housing and aspects of health and social care. This creates a stable and responsive operating environment for investors.
cross-country collaboration
“Manchester is a city of collaboration, with academic institutions working with the city’s public authorities and businesses to drive forward a dynamic economy. This has led to an environment that breeds innovation, something which can be seen throughout the city’s history, from splitting the atom to the isolation of graphene. Greater Manchester is known for its forward thinking and visionary approach to economic and cultural development… We are a city that lies at the heart of the Northern Powerhouse.”
andy burnham, mayor of greater manchester
A Platform for Long-Term Partnership
Manchester China Forum exists to ensure that the relationship between Greater Manchester and Greater China is not transactional, but strategic and enduring.
By combining political engagement, commercial opportunity, academic collaboration and cultural exchange, MCF has created a platform capable of supporting sustained growth and shared prosperity.
For Chinese businesses exploring UK expansion, and for Manchester-based organisations seeking deeper engagement with China, Manchester China Forum provides the relationships, insight and coordination needed to move forward with confidence.
