Keynote speech by H.E. Ambassador Liu Xiaoming at the 'Icebreakers' 2020 Chinese New Year Dinner: Seize Opportunities for Cooperation and Achieve Greater Breakthroughs

Second, China and the UK seized the opportunity of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which served as a new platform for China-UK cooperation.

In 2019, then Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond attended the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation as the special representative of the Prime Minister. Our two countries deepened the consensus that China and the UK are natural partners in building BRI.

During Vice Premier Hu Chunhua's visit to the UK, our two countries signed an agreement on cooperation in third markets, which provided a new platform and new impetus for China-UK cooperation on BRI.

BRI has seen active participation from all sectors in the UK, who hope to take advantage of this platform to combine the best of Chinese manufacturing, engineering and construction with the best of British project design and legal, technical and financial services expertise, so as to deliver more outcomes.

Third, China and the UK seized the opportunity of innovation-driven development and opened a new chapter of China-UK cooperation on innovation.

There has been steady progress in the implementation of the China-UK Joint Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation. We are working to dovetail development strategies and conduct joint projects in innovation, with new highlights in artificial intelligence, block chain, telecommunications and bio medicine.

In 2019, Huawei opened the 5G Birmingham Training Centre; OPPO set up an international design centre in London; And Chinese companies Tencent and ByteDance bought shares of UK artificial intelligence companies or acquired some AI companies.

Pitch@Palace China 3.0, an important platform for China-UK cooperation on innovation and entrepreneurship, was once again a great success.

The Western Returned Scholars Association of China held a forum in London which focused on cooperation in technology and finance and explored new ideas on China-UK cooperation on innovation.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear Friends:

In 2020, China will achieve the first centenary goal, namely, to complete the building of a moderately prosperous society in all aspects and eliminate absolute poverty. The UK will complete Brexit, which will be a historic moment, and focus on building a "global Britain".

The year 2020 will also mark the fifth anniversary of the China-UK "Golden Era". A new chapter for China-UK cooperation will begin, promising new opportunities and new driving forces. I think China and the UK should seize three opportunities.

The first opportunity comes from regional cooperation in all areas.

There are 68 pairs of sister provinces and cities between China and the UK. Regional cooperation is becoming an important pillar for China-UK relations.

From 17 to 19 February, the fifth China-UK Regional Leaders' Summit will be held in Birmingham. Our two sides should take full advantage of this mechanism to steer our regional cooperation in the right direction.

The UK has rolled out plans such as Midlands Engine and Northern Powerhouse. China is promoting the coordinated development of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei, the development of Yangtze Economic Belt, the building of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the integration of Yangtze River Delta. China and the UK could take the opportunity of this Summit to match these development strategies and policies.

We could also explore new ways of cooperation on innovation, take advantage of our comparative strengths, and enhance cultural and people-to-people exchanges. This will broaden, deepen and cement the foundation for the mutually beneficial cooperation between our two countries.