LONDON, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese and British business leaders met in London on Wednesday to explore fresh opportunities for cooperation, as both sides look to navigate global economic uncertainty.
Gathered for a UK-China trade forum hosted by professional services firm Moore Kingston Smith, participants from local governments, trade bodies and companies discussed ways to deepen ties through regional partnerships and low-carbon projects that reflect their shared interest in long-term economic resilience. Topics of concern included green energy, industrial innovation and sustainable growth.
As China's economic structure continues to optimize, the country's regional industrial layouts have become increasingly clear, each showcasing distinctive strengths. At the meeting, representatives from China's Jiangsu Province, Qingdao in Shandong Province, Shanghai and Shenzhen in Guangdong Province highlighted their respective advantages and cooperation opportunities -- spanning new energy, intelligent manufacturing, the digital economy and marine engineering -- reflecting the diversity and dynamism of China's economy.
With China's economy continuing to show resilience and transformation, bilateral economic links are deepening across multiple fronts. Britain, meanwhile, is seeking to revitalize its own industrial and regional growth and attract more Chinese investment.
Rebecca Bekkenutte, managing director of Gateley Global, said Britain's regulatory transparency, time-zone advantage and innovation ecosystem provide a solid base for joint work in net-zero technologies, AI and cybersecurity.
Bekkenutte noted that Britain's regulatory "sandboxes" allow firms to test green and digital projects under real conditions, a model that could be expanded with Chinese partners.
Ian Pease, Business Development Manager at Suffolk County Council, stated that Britain aims to source 95 percent of its electricity from clean energy by 2030. "We have the frameworks in place," he said. "But we cannot do it alone. International collaboration is essential."
John McLean, chairman of the China UK Business Development Centre, said Chinese investment in electric vehicles and supply chains is already creating jobs and technological spillovers in Britain. McLean, who has worked in China for over two decades, sees growing sources of collaboration in advanced engineering, environmental infrastructure, software and financial services.
Business leaders reached a consensus that green transformation, technological innovation and open cooperation will remain the foundation of future China-Britain economic ties.
Tim Skeet, Chief Institutional Relationship Officer at the Bank of China London Branch, noted that both countries are exploring "nature and biodiversity finance" under new frameworks, such as the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures, which promotes measurable ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) standards.
Lynn Lin, head of China and Asia-Pacific at Moore Kingston Smith, said: "From clean energy to finance and advanced manufacturing, both sides have complementary strengths."
"The real progress lies not in abstract dialogue, but in building practical, sustainable partnerships, and those partnerships are already taking shape," Lin said.
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