(Ambassador Liu Xiaoming Talking with Lord Mayor of Manchester Mark Hackett)

On June 25th to 26th, Ambassador Liu Xiaoming and his wife visited Northwest England and had studies and exchanges in Manchester and Liverpool on the topics of promoting the China-UK exchanges, strengthening bilateral economic and trade cooperation and better performing the work of consular and overseas Chinese affairs.

(Ambassador Liu Xiaoming Talking with Lord Mayor of Liverpool Hazel Williams)

During the visit, Ambassador Liu respectively met with Mark Hackett, Lord Mayor of Manchester and Hazel Williams, Lord Mayor of Liverpool. Lord Mayor Hackett said that Manchester made fruitful cooperation in politics, economy, culture and education with its sister city Wuhan, and that the city regarded China as an important partner and was ready to constantly strengthen the cooperation with the country. Lord Mayor Williams said that the city had good cooperation with its sister city Shanghai and other provinces and cities in China and was well-received as a participant of the Urban Best Practice Area of the Shanghai Expo. She hoped to continue to promote the exchanges and cooperation with the Chinese side. Ambassador Liu said that China paid attention to developing the cooperative relations with the two cities, and was ready to maintain close communication and coordination with the cities to actively strengthen their exchanges and cooperation with Chinese provinces and cities.

(Ambassador Liu Xiaoming in Discussion with Entrepreneurs in Northwest England)

The Ambassador and his wife also visited enterprises including the Building Design Partnership Ltd. and M&I Materials Ltd. and attended the Business Roundtable in Northwest England organized by UKTI.UKTI Deputy Chief Executive Susan Haird and local entrepreneurs briefed Ambassador Liu and his colleagues on the region’s advantages of economic development and its cooperation with China and hoped to establish closer economic and trade cooperation with China. Ambassador Liu said in his remarks that the Northwest England, as an economic centre of the UK, boasts a global business network, a vigorous economy and a great strength in energy and environmental technology, advanced manufacturing, bio-pharmaceuticals, advanced engineering and materials and creative industries. China is expanding domestic demand, upgrading its industrial structure and making great efforts in developing new energy industries, environmental industries and creative industries, and both sides should work together to create more opportunities for cooperation. Ambassador Liu also exchanged views with the British side mainly on the topic of making greater efforts in building a platform for business cooperation between the two countries and seizing opportunities to promote the China-UK cooperation in aviation, automobiles and renewable energy.

(Ambassador Liu Xiaoming in Discussion with Leaders of Chinese Community in the Consular District of Manchester)

Ambassador Liu and his wife attended a discussion session with the leaders of Chinese Community in the Consular District of Manchester. In his remarks the Ambassador introduced China’s domestic economic development, the Shanghai World Expo, the cross-Strait relations and the China-UK relations and spoke highly of the achievements of the overseas Chinese affairs in the Consular District of Manchester. He said that one of the main aims of his visit to Manchester was to see the overseas compatriots and listen to their opinions on the country’s development, the prospects of the China-UK relations and the work of the Chinese Embassy and Consulates, and hoped that the compatriots would continue to pay attention to and support the development of the motherland and China-UK relations. The participating leaders of Chinese community expressed their warm welcome to Ambassador Liu and his wife, and said that the Ambassador’s call on the overseas Chinese in Manchester shortly after his assumption of office fully demonstrated the care for the overseas Chinese of the motherland. The overseas Chinese in Manchester will work as one and firmly support the peaceful reunification of the motherland, continue to serve as a bridge for exchanges and contacts between the two peoples and make new contribution to the all-round development of the bilateral relations.

UKTI Deputy Chief Executive Susan Haird, CBBC Chief Executive Stephen Phillips, Chinese Consul-General in Manchester Ni Jian and Counsellor Li Feng from the Commercial Section of the Chinese Embassy participated the relevant activities.