On December 12, Minister Chen Wen attended the on-line 2020 Chinese Economic Association (CEA) (Europe/UK) Annual Conference and delivered a speech. Around 400 guests attended the event, including Lu Gaoqing, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Surrey, Margot James, former UK Minister of State for Digital and Creative Industries, Richard Williams, Vice-Chancellor of Heriot-Watt University, David Pilsbury, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the Coventry University, and Gao Yuning, President of CEA (Europe/UK) and Professor of Tsinghua University.

At this important moment when the world is joining hands to battle COVID-19 and explore economic recovery, Minister Chen said in her speech, this annual conference themed on “China’s Deepened Reform and Openness: Technology, Growth, and Sustainability” could not be more timely. The Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee that took place in October approved the “CPC Central Committee’s Proposals for the Formulation of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035”. This document outlined the blueprint and set forth a guideline for China’s economic and social development in the coming five years and beyond. Going forward, China will be committed to innovation in reform, opening up, science, and green technology to promote high-quality development, accelerate the building of a new development pattern, and contribute China’s wisdom to the progress of mankind and global sustainable growth.

Minister Chen emphasized that CEA (Europe/UK) brings together the best minds on China’s economy. It is an effective platform and bridge for exchanges and cooperation between the economic sectors and academia of China, the UK and Europe. She called on all the participants to leverage their expertise and seize the opportunities of China’s new growth pattern, cooperation in innovation, and synergy in green development to play their part in China-UK and China-Europe cooperation.

“I sincerely hope the Chinese Economic Association (Europe/UK) will continue to grow stronger, and that you will make more efforts for a better understanding of China in the UK, in Europe and in the world, and make more contribution to closer exchanges and cooperation between China and the West on innovation. Let’s join hands to create a more prosperous and brighter future of mankind”, said Chen in closing.

Guests at the conference hailed China’s remarkable achievements in combating the COVID-19 pandemic and advancing its economic and social development. China-Europe and China-UK cooperation in areas of economy, finance, heath care, scientific research, education, and green development have huge potential and broad prospects. They expressed their readiness to give full play to their strengths and explore new ideas of cooperation, so as to contribute their wisdom and effort to promoting the understanding of China in Europe and the UK and the mutually beneficial cooperation.