On July 1, the “Export to China” UK Session was held in London. The event was attended and addressed by Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao and Peter Kyle, Secretary of State for Business and Trade of the UK. Zheng Zeguang, Chinese Ambassador to the UK; Duan Hongtao, Executive Director of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China; and Sebastian Wood, Chair of the China-Britain Business Council also attended the event.
Wang Wentao said that the UK is China’s third-largest trading partner in Europe, and China is the UK’s largest trading partner in Asia. Economic and trade cooperation between the two countries has been deepening, enabling complementarity in advantage industries and flow of market factors. China is ready to work with the UK to translate the great potential of bilateral cooperation into great outcomes.
Wang Wentao noted that China has the strengths of the world’s largest middle-income group and a supersized market, which offers enormous potential for expanding imports from the UK. Accommodating the needs of its trading partners, China has developed the “Export to China” brand, which is dedicated to sharing new development opportunities with the world and injecting momentum into the global economy. He expressed the hope that UK companies will actively participate in the series of “Export to China” event and the 9th China International Import Expo (CIIE), engage in in-depth discussions and negotiations with Chinese enterprises, continue to expand areas of bilateral trade cooperation, achieve mutual benefits and win-win outcomes, and open a new chapter in China-UK economic and trade cooperation.
Kyle said, “Industrial Strategy and the Chinese five-year-plan are very well aligned. Some of our sectors overlap, and that creates opportunity for both of our countries.” Kyle said, “By working together, and talking together, both of our nations will prosper.”
Overseas promotion for the 9th CIIE was also carried out during the event. The Trade Development Bureau of MOFCOM, the China-Britain Business Council, UK Export Finance, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, and http://JD.com, Inc. announced relevant supportive measures. Over 300 representatives from Chinese and UK businesses, business associations, and government agencies attended the event, covering multiple areas of cooperation, including automobiles, energy and chemicals, instruments and meters, sporting events, and life sciences. (Released on July 1)