China Chamber of Commerce in the UK (CCCUK) and the British Chamber of Commerce in China (BCCC) jointly organised a Business Roundtable on China-UK Business Environment, sharing views on the business environment and future development opportunities in both countries, and enhancing communication and cooperation between Chinese and British enterprises. A total of 22 representatives from CCCUK, BCCC, and senior executives from Chinese and British companies attended the roundtable. Julian Fisher, Chairman of BCCC, ZHANGHuijuan, Vice Chairman of CCCUK and WU Lin, Secretary General of CCCUK, attended the meeting and delivered speeches.

ZHANG Huijuan, Vice Chairman of CCCUK and Chief Representative of CCPIT in the UK, said that CCCUK and BCCC have been committed to providing a service platform for their members, assisting them in problem-solving, and contributing to promoting China-UK economic and trade cooperation. This year, CCPIT will compile its first “UK Business Environment Report 2023/2024” , which will reflect the voices of Chinese enterprises in the UK and provide policy recommendations for further improving the business environment in the UK. It is expected that this report, along with the “British Business in China: Position Paper”of BCCC, will timely Representing the voices and aspirations of the business communities in China and the UK, enhance mutual understanding and trust between 2 countries, and jointly promote the development of China-UK relations.

Julian Fisher, Chairman of BCCC, shared the “British Business in China: Position Paper 2023” during the roundtable. Julian pointed out that due to the impact of the pandemic and policies, conducting business in China has become extremely challenging for British companies, and British enterprises are cautiously optimistic about the prospects of the Chinese market. However, it is encouraging that with the gradual resumption of travel and increased interpersonal exchanges between China and the UK, confidence in the potential of the Chinese market among British companies is gradually recovering. While maintaining optimism, British companies in China also face five major challenges, including geopolitical issues, global economic slowdown, trends towards self-sufficiency and protectionism, and uncertainty. He called for action and dialogue to promote business development between Chinese and British enterprises.

WU Lin, the Secretary-general of CCCUK introduced the CCCUK’s showcase report, including the growth and optimism of Chinese  enterprises in the UK, as well as the challenges and uncertainties they face. The report highlights the strong performance of Chinese enterprises in sectors such as finance, industry, consumer goods, energy, and telecommunications. CCCUK is dedicated to promoting China-UK trade relations, providing support and services to Chinese enterprises, and also supporting British companies entering the Chinese market. Chinese enterprises have created a large number of job opportunities in the UK and made substantial contributions to the UK economy. Despite some difficulties, Chinese enterprises maintain an optimistic attitude towards the UK market. Recently, government delegations from various parts of China visited the UK to hold promotional events, expressing their keen desire for commercial investment in seven major industries, including green finance, high technology, pharmaceuticals and health, urban planning, digital technology, tourism, and education.

Group photo of representatives from BCCC and CCCUK

During the Q&A and discussion session, representatives at the conference engaged in in-depth exchanges on topics such as bilateral trade cooperation, market access, investment environment, and bilateral economic and trade cooperation. The representatives expressed their positive attitude towards the continuous strengthening of cooperation between China and the UK and put forward suggestions to solve business problems and promote closer cooperation between the two countries.

The roundtable has provided a platform for mutual understanding, exchanging opinions, and establishing cooperative relationships between CCCUK and BCCC. The two chambers will collaborate in the field of business research and reports, make efforts to enhance publicity work, expand information sharing, provide beneficial support to their respective members, and provide valuable recommendations to the Chinese and British governments. The representatives expressed their intention to further strengthen contacts and cooperation with each other on the occasion of this conference and jointly promote China-UK economic and trade cooperation.