On 16 October 16 2023, the government of Anhui Province hosted the "Invest in Anhui" promotion conference in London. Wang Qingxian, Governor of Anhui Province, Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles, Chair of the China-Britain Business Council, and Fang Wenjian, Chairman of the China Chamber of Commerce in the UK, delivered remarks. Chargé d'Affaires a.i. Yang Xiaoguang of the Chinese Embassy in the UK attended the event and gave remarks at invitation. Nearly one hundred representatives from the Chinese and British business communities participated in the event.

In his speech, Chargé d'Affaires Yang said that China is a huge market full of vitality and potential, and China’s economy has become more balanced, coordinated, and sustainable. Many international institutions have raised their forecasts for China’s economic growth. In recent years, cooperation between Anhui Province and the UK has continued to deepen, laying a solid foundation for collaboration between the two sides.

Chargé d'Affaires Yang emphasised that, despite some differences between China and the UK, the two sides’ common interests far outweigh their differences, and cooperation is the only right way forward. Both sides should see each other's development as an opportunity, focus on collaboration, handle differences properly, explore opportunities through innovation, and jointly promote China-UK economic and trade cooperation to new heights.

*****

At the promotion conference, Wuhu and Chuzhou, both cities in Anhui Province, introduced their key industries and projects for investment. British companies, such as Unilever and Standard Chartered Bank, shared their experiences and operations related to investments in Anhui.