UK keen to strengthen trading ties with South-east Asia nations

THERE has been concern expressed by some that, on June 23, 2016, Britain voted for insularity. That, as a nation, the UK chose to surrender our place in the world and turn our back on our global relationships and commitments. This could not be further from the truth and during my visit to the region, I will be making sure that message is heard.

The UK government's ambition is to put Britain at the centre of the argument for global free trade and to become the world's natural business partner. The creation of the Department for International Trade shortly after the referendum was a clear sign of the UK's desire to be more internationally engaged than ever before.

We want to create a Global Britain and, as the UK prime minister has said, while this means being the best friend and neighbour to our European partners, it also means being a country that reaches beyond the borders of Europe and goes out into the world to build relationships with ol…