LONDON - The number of British people studying or undertaking internships in China is expected to reach 80,000 by 2020, British Business Secretary Vince Cable said on Tuesday.

According to UK Trade & Investment, the secretary has written to some British businesses urging them to support a British Council's flagship program, named Generation UK.

The program was launched in 2013, which aims to boost the number of British students participating in study and internship program in China. The program is expected to see around 80,000 British students flock in China by 2020.

"The global center of gravity is shifting eastwards to major economic powerhouses like China. But while China sends around 100,000 students each year to the UK, we send little more than 5,000 in the opposite direction, and that's two thirds more than we sent in 2010. By contrast, France sends over 8,000 students to China annually," said Vince Cable.

He said he has written to a range of leading British businesses urging them to get behind the Generation UK campaign, also promote trade links between the two sides.

"Participants in this programme will not only boost their own career prospects, but become ambassadors for UK-China relations on their return home," he added.

According to statistics released by Generation UK, the number of British students visited China in 2012 was 4,250, fell behind the United States, France and Germany.

In 2013, the students studied in China from Britain increased to 5,400, an increase of 27 percent year-on-year, and the increase in this year is expected to reach 50 percent.