On March 28, Ambassador Liu Xiaoming attended and addressed the Hunan-UK Future Innovation Summit. Xu Dazhe, Governor of Hunan Province, Baroness Fairhead CBE, Minister of State for Trade and Export Promotion at the Department for International Trade (DIT), Lord Sassoon FCA, Chairman of China-Britain Business Council (CBBC), Stephen Perry, Chairman of the 48 Group Club, and Fang Wenjian, Chairman of CCCUK also delivered speeches respectively. Over 300 Chinese and British representatives from the business, science and technology, and media circles were present.

Ambassador Liu spoke highly of the innovative and pioneering spirit of Hunan Province and the UK, calling them both “cradles of great people with a pioneering spirit, models on innovation and good partners for cooperation”. He encouraged the two to match their development strategies, deepen industrial cooperation, and enhance sub-national cooperation.

The Ambassador said, “Innovation is the way to development, and cooperation can lead to win-win results. This is the irreversible trend. I am confident that as long as China and the UK continue to forge ahead and work together on innovation, we can deliver more tangible benefits to our people, and embrace a brighter future for the China-UK ‘Golden Era’!”

Governor Xu briefed the participants on the economic and social development and the strengths of innovation industry in Hunan Province. He highlighted the major innovation results, improving platforms, and materializing effect achieved across Hunan Province in recent years. He expressed the hope that China and the UK would tap their respective advantages and strengthen cooperation in new industries, innovation and research, lab-to-market transformation and talent training to achieve common development, so as to make contribution to building an innovative world economy.

Baroness Fairhead spoke highly of the progress in the communication and cooperation between Hunan Province and Britain, saying that the year before last, HRH The Princess Royal visited Hunan Province, giving a strong boost to cooperation between the two sides. Thereafter, the DIT Minister of State visited Hunan Province, which further promoted their cooperation. Lord Sassoon and Chairman Perry briefed the participants respectively on the cooperation in economic, trade and innovation as well as opportunities between Hunan Province and the UK.

Ambassador Liu joined Governor Xu and other guests in witnessing the signing of a number of agreements on cooperation between some departments and enterprises of Hunan Province and the UK.