People in front the exhibit booth of the UK Photo: Yang Hui/GT

The UK government welcomes China's ongoing efforts to increase imports and improve its business environment, Britain's International Trade Secretary Liam Fox said on Tuesday.

"This is my fifth visit to China in 2018," Fox said during the first-ever China International Import Expo in Shanghai. He added that his frequent visits to China show the UK government's emphasis on the bilateral relationship.

"We're very keen to attend the import expo, and we welcome President Xi Jinping's calls to relax investment restrictions, especially in the education and healthcare sectors," Fox said. "We also encourage China to further deepen its opening-up efforts."

China is now taking solid steps to advance opening-up in the services sector and accelerate the opening-up of sectors including education and medical treatment, according to the Xinhua News Agency.