Eastern promise: E-minister forges tech links in China

The mission will see Hewitt evangelising about the UK as the ideal launch pad into the European market - a topic on which she was particularly keen during a recent visit to India.

Speaking to silicon.com before she left, Hewitt said she will also be keeping a close eye on the mobile explosion, pressing home her message that the UK and Japan are the leaders in third generation mobile technology.

Hewitt said: "On 3G mobile standards, Japan and Britain are working very closely together to get agreement on UTMS - a very good example of how government-to-government cooperation can help everybody to do business."

Mobile devices have become ubiquitous in Japanese society and the DTI is hoping to replicate that success with 3G in the UK. But Hewitt acknowledges cultural differences in the use of technology between the two countries could prove difficult to overcome. "It's going to be very interesting to see just how iMode has established itself in the Japanese culture and psyche," she said.

The Minister is likely to receive a warm welcome in both countries, but her mission to Shanghai and Beijing will prove challenging, particularly given the Chinese government's reputation for closely controlling the growth of internet services. According to Hewitt, issues of privacy, security, intellectual property and data protection will all be on the agenda.

Hewitt said: "With issues of consumer confidence and privacy I hope we can find some common ground. This is a global business and the more we can get global standards and a global framework the better it is for all our consumers and companies."

Chinese Information Industry Minister Wu Jichuan will sign a 'Memorandum of Understanding' with Hewitt promising closer cooperation in the high-tech sector. But there will be no detailed agreement between the two countries, leaving the development of the relationship mostly up to good will.

"We have a long-standing relationship with Hong Kong and I hope to be able to develop that in mainland China. There is huge potential scope for collaboration," Hewitt said.