Interview: Ice-breaking spirit still needed for Britain-China economic relationship, says expert

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng poses for a group photo with some guests while attending an event commemorating the 70th anniversary of the "Icebreaking Mission" in China-UK trade in Beijing, capital of China, July 6, 2023. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)

The "ice-breaking spirit" means not to be daunted by difficulties and to find a way forward even in adverse circumstances.

LONDON, July 9 (Xinhua) -- The "ice-breaking spirit" manifested by British businessmen when they visited China 70 years ago, is still needed today, Keith Bennett, a long-term China specialist and vice chair of Britain's 48 Group Club, has said.

The "ice-breaking spirit" means not to be daunted by difficulties and to find a way forward even in adverse circumstances, Bennett said in a recent interview with Xinhua.

In 1953, a group of people from the British business community made a famous ice-breaking trip to China after overcoming one obstacle after another. The Icebreaker Mission paved the way for the 1954 trade mission to China by 48 businessmen from British companies, which later became known generically as the 48 Group.

"The more time goes by, the more one can see how far-sighted the original icebreakers were," Bennett said. "When there are people of vision and courage, you can make progress even in the most difficult times. That's what we need."

In Bennett's view, a lot has changed from the time of the Icebreaker Mission and there is a great deal of openness on the part of the British business community to the country's relations with China.

However, the so-called "de-risking" is a "wrong term," he pointed out.

"You only need de-risking if there's a risk ... To me, China is an opportunity, not a risk," Bennett stressed.

This photo taken on June 9, 2023 show a view of China Hainan Free Trade Port -- the U.K. Promotion Conference in London, Britain. (Photo by Stephen Chung/Xinhua)

According to Britain's official data, the total trade in goods and services between Britain and China increased by 18.3 percent to 111 billion pounds (142 billion U.S. dollars) in 2022 and Britain's exports to China increased by 37.7 percent to 37.6 billion pounds (48 billion dollars).

The figures show "how unrealistic it is to talk about ideas of decoupling or de-risking. It's a backward way of looking at the world because no country can develop sustainably and prosperously in isolation," Bennett said.

"The economic and commercial relationship with China is intrinsic to the economic health of the UK and the economic well-being of the British people," he added.

China is advancing to the front ranks of innovation, research and development and there's a great deal of potential for the China-Britain economic relationship in such areas as financial services, new energy vehicles and other environmentally friendly and environmentally sustainable projects, Bennett said.

"Business people, civil society, and others all have their roles to play. We need the ice-breaking spirit at every level, including education, culture, arts, scientific research and academic collaboration," Bennett said.