On 4 December 2024, H.E. Ambassador Zheng Zeguang attended the 2024 China-UK Investor Forum and delivered a keynote speech at invitation. Over 200 guests including those from the UK government, the House of Lords, and the City of London, and representatives from Chinese and British business and financial communities, joined the event.
Ambassador Zheng pointed out that the world is gripped by transformation and turmoil, with the rise of unilateralism and protectionism posing severe threats to global economic growth and the security and stability of industrial and supply chains. This is a testing moment for the determination and vision of governments and business leaders worldwide. Countries should together stay committed to dialogue and cooperation and oppose confrontation and antagonism, uphold openness and inclusiveness and reject isolation and exclusion, and take concrete actions to safeguard global peace and stability and promote international solidarity and cooperation.
Ambassador Zheng noted that in the face of new changes at home and in the world this year, China has been acting with calm and adopted a package of policy measures. With that, China’s economy has made steady progress and its economic and technological strength as well as composite national strength have seen continuous growth.
China has a strong political leadership, stable and consistent policies, a super-size market with immense growth potential, a complete industrial system, and abundant high-calibre talent. Moving forward, we will continue to deepen comprehensive reform and expand high-standard opening up. We will exert greater effort to nurture new quality productive forces, cultivate new technologies, businesses and industries, and steadfastly advance innovation-driven and green development. We will further expand domestic demand, stabilise the real estate sector and stock markets, and improve social expectations. We are fully confident that we will be able to overcome risks and challenges, defuse external impacts, and steadily achieve our growth targets. The long-term trajectory of China's economy will remain positive.
Ambassador Zheng highlighted the crucial importance of relations between China and European countries, which matter to the peace, stability and prosperity of the world. China always regards Europe as a priority in its major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics and an important partner on its journey towards modernisation. China and the EU are already each other’s second-largest trading partners, and counting in the UK, China-Europe trade has reached around 920 billion US dollars. European countries should recognise the immense potential and mutual benefit of cooperation with China, as Chinese modernisation will only bring new opportunities for their development. Both sides should stay committed to the positioning of partnership, adhere to the principles of openness, cooperation and mutual benefit, oppose unilateralism and protectionism, and promote the sustained and healthy development of economic ties between China and Europe.
Ambassador Zheng pointed out that China and the UK should work together to implement the important common understanding reached between our leaders, focus on cooperation, remove obstacles, and jointly usher the bilateral relationship into a new phase of sound and steady development.
The two sides should make full preparations for the new round of Economic and Financial Dialogue and dialogues in other areas, and work for fruitful outcomes. We need to expand cooperation in trade, investment, financial services, clean energy, healthcare, technology and innovation, education, culture, tourism and law enforcement. We should also enhance communication and coordination on regional and global challenges such as climate change and public health. By doing so, we will deliver more tangible benefits to both our people and make greater contributions to global peace, stability and prosperity. It is hoped that the business communities of the two countries will grasp the major trend, stay focused, and work actively for new growth in China-UK economic and trade cooperation.
The forum, themed "Fostering Partnerships for Global Growth and Prosperity", featured special sessions on macroeconomic trends and China-UK and China-EU cooperation in economy, trade, finance, energy transition, technological innovation, artificial intelligence and other fields, and in-depth discussions on new opportunities and new paths. Participants said that China-UK and China-EU relations have a strong and solid foundation and vast potentials. It is in the best interest of all sides to expand consensus and deepen cooperation. They will continue to play their role and contribute more to the development of China-UK and China-EU relations.
