Interview: British firms keep strong commitment to Chinese market, says expert

LONDON, July 17 (Xinhua) -- British companies have "a very strong sense of commitment" to the Chinese market, said a British business leader.

"When I was in China two months ago, China is very much back moving ahead very quickly," Andrew Seaton, chief executive of the China-Britain Business Council (CBBC), told Xinhua in a recent interview after attending an event in London for promoting investment in Shanghai. He and other CBBC representatives have lately visited several Chinese cities.

"It has been three years since we last visited China ... but China has not stood still," Seaton said, noting that many things struck him during the recent visit.

The business leader witnessed "a very strong sense of economic recovery with a lot of activity on the street," while businesses were very positive about their recovery.

"Talking to British companies on the ground, whether in Beijing or Shanghai or Guangzhou, (they have) a very strong sense of commitment to the Chinese market, commitment to their presence in China, their investment in China, their engagement and so on," he said.

"Coming out of the pandemic, it's important now to focus back on the opportunity and to make sure that trade and investment relationship brings genuinely mutual benefits to the people of China and the people of the United Kingdom," Seaton said.

Seventy years ago, British entrepreneurs represented by Jack Perry, keenly seeing the bright future of New China and the huge potential of China-Britain cooperation, broke the ice of ideology with courage, and took the lead in opening up the channel of China-Britain trade exchanges.

"It is important that the ice-breaking spirit continues," said Seaton, commenting on an event commemorating the 70th anniversary of the "Icebreaking Mission" in China-Britain trade, which was held in Beijing earlier this month.

"People on both sides recognize that there is still a huge amount of further potential to take the business relationship, and the trade and investment relationship, into a new stage," he said. "You can look at the size of China's economy now, by comparison with the size of China's economy 70 years ago, that also tells you that the scope for taking forward that trade and investment relationship is greater than ever."

In Seaton's view, the Britain-China trade and investment relationship "has to move forward and respond to "technological development." What needs to do now is work on a "new pipeline of new British companies coming through in different areas of technology to help them engage in the China opportunity," he said.

Commenting on the London event for promoting investment in Shanghai, Seaton said it is a great opportunity for reasserting and reinforcing the importance of China as a trade investment destination, and for British companies to put China "back onto their radar."

He added that other cities in China have their particular strengths, so it is important to "make the general China opportunity more specific."

Seaton also noted that there may be areas where Britain and China disagree, which is normal between countries.

There are nonetheless very vital areas where it's important to both countries, where they can agree on, work together on and cooperate on, he said. "It seems to me that the trade investment relationship is absolutely at the top of that list."