Glasgow Prestwick Airport (PIK) recently attended a diplomatic reception hosted by the British Embassy in Shanghai as discussions continued on the future of UK-China trade.

PIK was the only business in the aviation industry invited to the reception by His Majesty’s Ambassador to China, Peter Wilson, and His Majesty’s Consul-General, Matt Burney, and joined Sir Keir Starmer, UK Prime Minister, Peter Kyle, Secretary of State for Business and Trade, and a small group of business leaders from the United Kingdom and China.

“Over the past year, Prestwick has made significant progress in attracting Chinese investment and building long-term partnerships that deliver real economic value for Scotland and the UK,” said Ian Forgie, chief executive of PIK.

“Our invitation to the Prime Minister’s state visit is testament to this, our forward-thinking growth strategy, and the hard work of the entire team.”

PIK became the UK base for Air China Cargo and China Southern Airlines last summer. Building on its newly operated routes to Guangzhou and Chengdu, PIK now operates 12 scheduled cargo services direct to China a week, which has created over 250 direct jobs.

These new China-UK trade routes are expected to facilitate £250 million of cross border trade in 2026. PIK will strengthen its role as a key international logistics hub and support high‑value Scottish exports – most notably salmon and seafood – while generating tangible benefits for local communities and the wider UK economy.

“Being present on this state visit allows us to share practical insight into how aviation and logistics infrastructure can support sustainable trade growth, and we welcome continued progress in UK–China trade discussions, including on tariffs,” said Colin Dai, regional director, Asia, PIK.

Royal Mail and EVRi also established e-commerce operations at PIK, and the airport launched a Scotland to China seafood export service following a GBP one million investment in dedicated cool chain facilities, increasing the workforce by more than 250.