The United Kingdom will collaborate with Jiangsu province on education, according to Jo Johnson, UK minister of universities, science, research and innovation, who recently visited Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University in Suzhou, Jiangsu province.

"We want to work with China to address challenges in education, to develop globally aware citizens equipped with the skills and cultural understanding that is essential in today's globalized economy," said Johnson, whose visit focused on innovation and higher education collaboration between the two universities.

He said Chinese already account for the largest group of international students in the UK, with more than 90,000 in higher education at present and more than 600,000 graduating from UK universities since 1978.