China has lifted a ban on importing British beef lasting more than 20 years that was triggered by the "mad cow disease" outbreak, the UK government said on Wednesday. "China has today lifted its longstanding ban on exports of beef from the UK, in a landmark move for British producers estimated to be worth £250 million ($329 million, 284 million euros) in the first five years alone," said a statement.
"This is great news for British farmers," finance minister Philip Hammond said on Twitter after a meeting with Chinese Vice Premier Hu Chunhua. Hammond at the meeting said Britain wanted "a substantially deeper economic and financial trade relationship between the UK and China".
The announcement comes two days after China signed a deal to lift a ban on French beef imposed more than a decade ago.
Announcing an end to the British ban, the UK government said: "Today's milestone is the culmination of several years of site inspections and negotiations between UK and Chinese government officials."