On 3 September, the launch ceremony of the poverty alleviation project was held at the City Hall of the City of London. As the second project under the China-UK Public Welfare Initiative, it aims to rely on China-UK joint fundraising to fund the construction of health clinics at Daluo Village, Zhemi Township, Jinping County, Yunnan Province, in order to improve the medical environment for local villagers, and make medical treatment and medical security accessible for more than 2,400 people.

The opening ceremony was jointly organised by the City of London and the CCCUK as proposed by the Lord Mayor of the City of London. On the evening, H.E. Ambassador LIU Xiaoming, Alderman Peter Estlin, Lord Mayor of the City of London, Richard Burn, UK Commissioner for Trade with China, BAO Ling, Minister Counsellor of the Economic and Commercial Counsellor’s Office of the Chinese Embassy in the UK, CCCUK Vice Chairmen LEI Jiazhao and CHANG Yun, together with nearly 300 guests from Chinese and British political and business circles, witnessed the new fruit of China-UK public welfare cooperation as it scales a new level.

China-UK Public Welfare Initiative aims to build up a public welfare platform to engage more organisations and individuals in philanthropy and deepen cooperation between China and the UK on public welfare. Currently, public welfare activities have become an important part of Chinese enterprises in the UK, as they actively fulfil social responsibilities while pursing profits. The CCCUK, in its cooperation with the City of London, has launched series of events to help Chinese rural people improve their livelihood and benefit vulnerable people in British society. It is hoped the new model of public welfare and business combined will continue and make greater contribution to the development of philanthropy in both countries.

Photo 1. H.E. Ambassador LIU Xiaoming delivers a speech

The Ambassador hoped that, in today’s world faced with both opportunities and challenges, both Chinese and British companies will seize the opportunities and work together for economic growth. China’s economic restructuring has injected new vitality into China-UK cooperation, creating lots of development opportunities in new technology, big data, green finance, sustainable development, and innovation. He offered three suggestions for both countries to work together for sustainable growth. First, China and the UK should make full use of their complementary advantages to push cooperation in financial sector, and work together for the development of the financial market and the building of RMB offshore clearing centers. Second, both countries should seize the development opportunities of the Belt and Road Initiative, strengthen China-UK cooperation in third countries, deepen cooperation on infrastructure construction, investment, and green finance projects, and make the development of the Belt and Road Initiative more environmentally friendly and sustainable. Third, efforts should be made to strengthen multi-dimensional cooperation to boost China-UK public welfare exchanges. He hoped China-UK Public Welfare Initiative will continue play the role of a platform, promote public welfare exchanges between the two countries, and usher in a brighter future.

Photo 2. Lord Mayor of the City of London Estrin, Co-chair of the China-UK Public Welfare Initiative, delivers a speech

Lord Mayor Estrin said the mutually beneficial cooperation between China and the UK has yielded fruitful results. China-UK cooperation in green finance, fintech and RMB internationalization has injected new vitality into the economic development of the two countries. He stressed that despite the ongoing Brexit, London will continue to boast its unique advantages in the long run. The City of London will continue to promote economic exchanges between China and the UK, help British companies enter China, and help Chinese companies set up new overseas bases in London. The Lord Mayor, while stressing the need for boosting economic cooperation, called for support from businesses of the two countries to China-UK public welfare exchanges, hoping for them to contribute to a better environment for local communities in both countries. Hailing the achievements of the China-UK Charity Initiative since its launch nine months ago, he said the Initiative, thanks to concerted efforts from the City of London and the CCCUK, has funded the building of educational facilities in China’s poor schools. The new poverty alleviation project of helping Yunnan village build health clinic is just another example of how the friendly China-UK relations benefit the local community.

Photo 3. Launch ceremony of the new “China-UK Public Welfare” project

It is reported that during the Chinese New Year in 2019, the CCCUK and the City of London hosted a fundraising event to raise money for a school in need of help. At present, the school has built a multi-function hall, which has been used for centralized training, artistic performances, and remote video teaching to help broaden the international vision of local students and teachers.

The second project under “China-UK Public Welfare” is to help build a clinic at Daluo Village, Zhemi Township, Jinping County, Yunnan Province. Upon completion, it will improve local medical and health conditions and make it easier for villagers to see doctors nearby, benefiting 400 households and more than 2,400 people. The two sides have planned a large fundraising event for the project in January 2020, a donation in March, and expected support of the guests present at the event.

Participants hailed the philanthropic project, hoping for the Initiative to further promote mutually beneficial cooperation, increase cohesion, and give back to the local community.