On 7 January 2025, H.E. Ambassador Zheng Zeguang hosted a Chinese New Year reception for representatives of British members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), winners of the Chinese Government Friendship Award and the China International Science and Technology Cooperation Award, and vice chancellors of British universities, to celebrate the traditional Chinese Laba Day and the Chinese New Year.
In his speech, Ambassador Zheng extended New Year greetings to all the academicians, scientists and educators. He pointed out that over the past year, in the face of multiple challenges, China has made solid gains in pursuing high-quality development. China’s economy has rebounded and is on an upward trajectory, with its GDP for the year expected to pass 130 trillion yuan, and an annual growth rate of about 5%. China remains the key engine for global economic growth. China is speeding up work to upgrade and strengthen its large education system, with a number of universities and disciplines ranking among the top in the world.
As a result of China’s efforts to foster new quality productive forces, new industries and new modes of business have kept emerging. For the first time, China has produced more than 10 million new energy vehicles in a year. Breakthroughs have also been made in integrated circuit, AI, quantum communications, etc.
Education, science and technology, and talent function as basic and strategic underpinnings for Chinese modernisation. Now we are implementing the decisions of the third plenum of the 20th CPC Central Committee and strengthening education in order to boost the overall performance of our country’s innovation system.
China is committed to openness and collaboration, has carried out educational exchanges with more than 180 countries, and stands ready to work with all to create an open, equitable and non-discriminatory environment for scientific and technological development, and to work towards sci-tech achievements shared by all.
Ambassador Zheng noted that the world is undergoing deep transformation and increasing volatility. In the meantime, humanity is facing severe common challenges such as climate change, natural disasters, and infectious diseases. Farsighted scientists and educators from all countries should persist in exchanges and collaboration, reject those clamours from some countries for creation of small yards with high fences, the weaponisation of sci-tech and disruption of educational and sci-tech exchanges, and work together to find solutions to these common challenges.
The UK was among the first Western countries to conduct mutually-beneficial exchanges and cooperation with new China in the fields of education, and science and technology. 11.4% of the UK’s academic papers are completed in cooperation with China. 24.8% of the co-authored papers between the two sides have a citation impact of twice the world average in the past five years.
China and the UK are going to hold a new round of Economic and Financial Dialogue, and are exploring to reactivate intergovernmental dialogue in various areas including education, science and technology, energy, and climate change. We welcome more British scientists and educators to actively carry out cooperation with their Chinese partners, and encourage more British scholars and students to go to China for studies and exchanges.
Ambassador Zheng expressed appreciation to the British educational and scientific communities for their positive contributions to China-UK educational and sci-tech cooperation, and encouraged them to continue to support the development of China-UK relations and enhance the friendship of the two peoples.
