A continued and steady engagement with China is important and necessary for the UK, according to Jack Perry, Chairman of the 48 Group, which has been promoting trade between China and the West since the 1950s.
Perry's remarks came as UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper is visiting China from June 1 to 3. During a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Cooper noted that the UK is willing to work with China to promote institutional dialogue, and deepen cooperation in economy and trade, finance and other fields.
"Government leads the way, business follows. And when government stops at the door, the businesses stop, and that's a real big problem that's been happening for many years. But as the new government came in a while ago, you've seen a want to have a stable communication between the two countries, and that's a must, and I think it's a must for the UK. So I think engagement and continued steady engagement is important. Especially with the instability in America and the wars in the world right now. So I think you've seen a purposeful commitment from the UK government to say, 'we want to do business with China.' And all the businesses in the UK are now looking at China, saying, 'okay, we're going to go there, and we're going to explore.' So it's very much needed, and it's a necessity for our country," said Perry.
Wang and his British counterpart are looking to promote renewed momentum in China‑UK ties, reaffirming their long‑term partnership and pledging deeper cooperation across trade, finance and emerging sectors while managing differences constructively.
Continued, steady engagement with China important for UK: British business leader
