On 19 February, Minister Yang Xiaoguang attended the online Chinese New Year Celebration hosted by the Conservative Friends of the Chinese (CFOC) and delivered a speech entitled Seize the Opportunities to Deepen Cooperation. Foreign Secretary of State Dominic Raab attended and addressed the event. Around 200 guests joined the celebration, including Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown and Sheela Mackintosh-Stewart, Co-Chairs of CFOC, Wang Xingang, board member of CFOC, and representatives from various sectors.

Minister Yang began his speech by extending Chinese New Year greetings to all, saying that the year 2020 was like no other year for China and the world, and the year 2021 is a crucial one for both China and the UK. The new situation offers opportunities for China and the UK to step up cooperation in fighting Covid-19, promoting open and win-win development, and building synergy between COP15 and COP26 to advance green development

Minister Yang pointed out, that China poses no threat to any other country or people, and remains committed to peaceful development. He hoped that China and the UK will enhance communication, deepen mutual trust, build up consensus, focus on cooperation, find common ground despite differences and deal with differences in an appropriate manner on the basis of mutual respect and equal treatment.

“The Conservative Friends of the Chinese has been committed to promoting China-UK relations. Going forward, I hope the Conservative Friends of the Chinese will become a friend of better China-UK relations. I am sure you will bring more positive energy into the cooperation of China and the UK,” said Yang in closing.

Secretary Rabb recognized the contribution of the Chinese communities in the UK to the British society. He mentioned the current opportunities and challenges in UK-China relations and said that despite the differences between the UK and China on certain issues, the British side is willing to maintain the constructive engagement and dialogue with China, and to expand cooperation with China in pandemic control and treatment, business, education, and climate change.

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Conservative Friends of the Chinese, founded in May 2013, is affiliated to the Conservative Party of the UK. Its mission is to enhance communication and interaction between the Conservative Party and the various British Chinese communities, encourage the overseas Chinese in the UK to participate in politics and promote dialogue and cooperation with China.