On 3 April 2025, a ceremony was held at the London Stock Exchange for the launch of RMB-denominated sovereign green bonds. Chinese Ambassador to the UK Zheng Zeguang, Chinese Vice-Minister of Finance Liao Min, Economic Secretary to the Treasury Emma Reynolds, and London Stock Exchange Group CFO Michel-Alain Proch attended and made remarks at the event. Also present were representatives from various sectors in China and the UK.

In his remarks, Zheng Zeguang congratulated on the successful issuance of RMB sovereign green bonds. He identified green transformation and sustainable development as a major feature of Chinese modernisation. The issuance of RMB sovereign green bonds in the UK by the Chinese Finance Ministry is an important step taken by China to deliver the policy outcomes of the 11th China-UK Economic and Financial Dialogue. It is also another concrete action taken by China toward green and low-carbon development. Opening up is a defining feature of Chinese modernisation. China is committed to sharing development opportunities and carrying out mutually beneficial cooperation with countries around the world. At a recent meeting with global business leaders, President Xi Jinping reaffirmed that opening up is China’s fundamental state policy, that China remains committed to reform and opening up, that its door will open still wider, and that its policy of utilising foreign investment has not and will not change. China looks forward to the active participation by the financial, industrial and commercial sectors of the UK in China’s high-quality development and broader practical cooperation in various fields between the two sides.

Zheng Zeguang highlighted the vast potential for China-UK cooperation in clean energy, green transformation and climate change. The two sides should, in accordance with the important consensus reached by their leaders and under the principles of mutual respect, non-interference in each other’s internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, implement the outcomes of the Economic and Financial Dialogue, the Strategic Dialogue and the Energy Dialogue while advancing dialogue and cooperation in other fields, in a bid to bring more concrete benefits to the two peoples and to contribute still more to the green and low-carbon transformation and climate action around the globe.

In response to the “reciprocal tariffs” on China announced by the US, Zheng Zeguang noted that the tariff hikes declared by the US on imports from China and a number of other countries and regions under the pretext of “reciprocity” seriously violate WTO rules, severely undermine the multilateral trading system, and cause serious harm to the interests of all parties. China firmly opposes such a move and will take necessary measures to safeguard its legitimate interests. There are no winners in trade wars or tariff wars, and protectionism leads nowhere. In the face of common challenges, the international community should work more closely to reject unilateral, protectionist and trade bullying practices and to keep the global trading system stable.