On June 26, Ambassador Liu Xiaoming attended the Celebration of the 70th Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China & Second China-UK Economic and Trade Forum held in the City of London and delivered a keynote speech entitled Build on Past Achievements and Join Hands to Enhance China-UK Win-Win Cooperation. Graham Stuart MP, Minister for Investment at the Department for International Trade, Gao Yan, President of China Chamber of International Commerce (CCOIC), Fang Wenjian, Chairman of the China Chamber of Commerce in the UK (CCCUK), Stephen Perry, Chairman of the 48 Group Club, Sir Douglas Flint, the UK Treasury’s Belt and Road envoy，Lord Jim O'Neill, Chair of Chatham House, Alan Belfield, Chairman of Arup Group, Kong Qingjiang, Dean of the School of International Law of China University of Political Science and Law, Yu Dongwen, Lead Director of Beijing Construction Engineering Group UK, and nearly 300 people from the political, business and academic circles of China and Britain.

Ambassador Liu said in his speech that 2019 is the 70th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China and the 65th anniversary of the establishment of China-UK diplomatic relationship at the level of chargé d’affaires. Therefore, it is a significant time to reflect on past achievements and look into the future. There are four main lessons from China-UK business cooperation over the past years, namely respecting each other and keeping the larger picture in mind, leveraging comparative strengths and matching strategies, staying open and inclusive and engaging in win-win cooperation, and strengthening the bond between people and cementing public support for China-UK relations. Looking into the future of China-UK business cooperation, there are three major opportunities: the fourth industrial revolution, China’s new round of higher-quality opening up, and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

In closing, Ambassador Liu said, “I hope the business leaders from both our two countries will always take a strategic approach and long-term perspective in promoting China-UK business cooperation. I hope you will seize the opportunities and work hand in hand for win-win results. By doing so, you will contribute more “golden fruits” for the China-UK ‘Golden Era’!”

Stuart said that China is an important economic and trade partner of the UK. The UK is willing to continue to work with China to promote trade development, deepen financial cooperation, and explore opportunities for BRI third-party markets. Facing the complex and volatile world economic situation, the UK will continue to promote free trade and economic globalization and maintain multilateral trade rules.

President Gao said that at present, China’s new opening measures offer a new historic opportunity for China-UK win-win cooperation. She hoped that the British companies would make use of the China International Import Expo to bring British quality goods and services to China. The CCOIC will continue to listen to the concerns of the business sectors, vigorously promote policy coordination, and further optimize China’s environment for trade and investment cooperation.

Perry said that the British and Chinese business circles should seek common ground while setting aside differences, abandon institutional prejudice, seize the new opportunities of the development of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era, and further strengthen cooperation in the areas of trade, investment and finance.

The UK Treasury's Belt and Road envoy Sir Douglas Flint and Chair of Chatham House Lord O'Neill spoke highly of the positive results achieved over the six years since the inception of the BRI and made specific proposals on strengthening BRI cooperation between the UK and China. Kong Qingjiang, Dean of the School of International Law of China University of Political Science and Law, briefed the participants on the legislative process and main clauses of the Foreign Investment Law and its significance to the British companies investing in China. Chairman of Arup Group Alan Belfield and Lead Director of Beijing Construction Engineering Group UK Yu Dongwen talked about the achievements of their respective enterprises in the “Golden Era” of China-UK relations, speaking highly of China’s new measures of opening up, such as increasing market access, encouraging Chinese enterprises to “go global” and holding the Import Expo.

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The Celebration of the 70th Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China & Second China-UK Economic and Trade Forum was hosted by the CCCUK, with the support of the Chinese Embassy in the UK and the UK Department of International Trade. The forum aims to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, review the development of China-UK economic and trade cooperation, interpret China's new measures to open markets, and promote the new achievements of Chinese-funded enterprises in the UK.