The China-Britain Business Council (CBBC) Chair Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles met with Chongqing Party Secretary Yuan Jiajun on Wednesday, 20 November in Chongqing. Also attending the meeting were Chen Xinwu, Member of the Standing Committee, Executive Vice Mayor of Chongqing, Liu Shangjin, Member of the Standing Committee, Secretary-General of Chongqing, Anthony Preston, HM Consul-General in Chongqing, Peter Burnett, Chief Executive of CBBC. 

Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles expressed optimism about the future of UK-China relations and confidence in the collaboration between the UK and Chongqing. He highlighted the importance of deepening pragmatic cooperation in areas such as science and technology, trade, environmental protection, education, culture, and healthcare, contributing to the healthy and stable development of UK-China relations.

Yuan Jiajun welcomed the visit of Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles and his delegation, expressing gratitude to CBBC for its longstanding contributions to fostering trade cooperation between Chongqing and the UK. He noted that Chinese President Xi Jinping’s meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the 19th G20 Leaders’ Summit resulted in consensus on communication and collaboration across various fields. This meeting, Yuan Jiajun remarked, has set a clear direction for the next chapter in the healthy and stable development of China-UK relations.

CBBC's Chair Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles and Chief Executive Peter Burnett, accompanied by a delegation of member companies, commenced their second visit to China this year on Monday, 18 November. This visit will cover Chengdu, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Beijing. The programme includes a series of meetings with senior Chinese government officials and events designed to engage with CBBC members and stakeholders across China.