On 6 May 2026, Chinese Ambassador to the UK Zheng Zeguang visited AstraZeneca’s Discovery Centre (The DISC), the company’s global R&D facility in Cambridge, where he had an exchange with Shaun Grady, Chair of AstraZeneca UK. 

Chair Grady briefed Ambassador Zheng on the operations of The DISC and AstraZeneca’s development in China. Ambassador Zheng spoke positively of AstraZeneca’s rapid development since its entry into the Chinese market 33 years ago. Outlining the priorities set out in China’s 15th Five-Year Plan in the field of medicine and health, he welcomed continued efforts by AstraZeneca to invest and expand pharmaceutical R&D and manufacturing presence in China, and to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with Chinese medical and health institutions. He encouraged the company to continue serving as a bridge between the Chinese and British peoples and contributing to the sound and steady development of China-UK relations.

Yu Benlin, Minister for Economic and Commercial Affairs at the Chinese Embassy in the UK, also took part in the visit.