Theresa May reveals China, Mexico, South Korea and Singapore have joined UK trade deal queue – as Japan dithers

THERESA May hailed the UK’s “Brex Appeal” yesterday as she revealed six countries at the G20 summit want to strike a trade deal with an independent Britain.

Speaking at the leaders’ summit in Hangzhou, China, the Prime Minister reeled off a list of nations which would welcome discussions about boosting free trade.

She named India, Mexico, South Korea, Singapore and Australia, whose premier insisted plans over the terms were “already well advanced”.

An official UK source later added that China was also keen on exploring trading relations after Britain leaves the European Union.

The official said: “They specifically said China would be open to a bi­lateral trade deal. That’s interesting to us as we leave the EU.”

Mrs May’s boast came at the end of her first big overseas trip since moving into Downing Street and being charged with negotiating Britain’s divorce from the EU and journey back on to the global stage. And it followed warnings about the negative consequences of the bombshell Brexit vote from US President Barack Obama and the Japanese PM Shinzo Abe.

In a summit showdown yesterday, Mr Abe demanded to know what Brexit means for his country’s ­factories in the UK.

He cornered Mrs May at the talks to insist upon “a higher degree of predictability” on what Britain’s trading terms with the EU will look like after we leave.

And in London, Japan’s ambassador warned their firms could quit unless the UK remains the best place for them to be based, putting 140,000 UK jobs at jeopardy.

But as the Hangzhou summit wrapped up Mrs May told a packed press conference that the world was keen to strike new agreements.