On 26 January, the 48 Group Club, China Chamber of Commerce in the UK (CCCUK) and China-Britain Business Council (CBBC) jointly hosted the ‘Icebreakers’ 2022 Chinese New Year celebration. President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to the ‘Icebreakers’ 2022 Chinese New Year celebration. More than 500 Chinese and British guests and audience gathered online and celebrated the Spring Festival, looking forward to a fresh start to Chinese New Year.
In the letter, President Xi remarked in the 1950s, British entrepreneurs, represented by Mr Jack Perry, embarked on a journey to break the ice of Western trade embargo on China. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the ambassadorial diplomatic relations between China and the UK. Looking back, we remember the old generation of friends who have made historic contributions to the development of the China-UK relationship. Looking ahead, I hope that the visionary people from both our two countries, including the business community, will carry forward the ‘icebreaking’ spirit and expand mutually beneficial cooperation to give the China-UK friendship a new dimension befitting our times and bring more benefits to both our two countries and peoples.
In his keynote speech, Zheng Zeguang, Chinese ambassador the UK said that the message of congratulations represents the great importance that President Xi attaches to the China-UK relationship and conveys his expectations to the visionary people from both our two countries, including the business community. It has charted the course for us to make joint efforts to advance China-UK ties and expand our mutually-beneficial cooperation. Ambassador Zheng expressed his hope that visionary people from our two countries, including the business communities, should persevere with confidence and not allow anyone to turn back the wheel of history and deny the common aspiration of our two peoples; should blaze new trail and share in the opportunities of China’s development; and should join hands and leverage their respective strengths, consolidate the cooperation in traditional areas including trade, investment, traditional finance, manufacturing and infrastructure, expand into new areas such as health care, FinTech, green energy, digital economy and creative industries, and explore third markets, so as to create more highlights of in their business partnership and bring more benefits to the peoples of both our two countries and beyond.
Grand gathering of political and business leaders in a lively atmosphere
The event, themed around ‘Celebrating Chinese New Year Together, Looking to a New Future’ was attended by some VIP guests and speakers, including: H.E. ZHENG Zeguang, Chinese Ambassador to the UK; The Rt Hon Lord Hammond of Runnymede, the former Chancellor of the Exchequer; John Edwards, Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioner, British Embassy Beijing; Stephen Perry, Chairman of the 48 Group Club; Mr FANG Wenjian, Chairman of the China Chamber of Commerce in the UK (CCCUK), General Manager of Bank of China London Branch; Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles, Chair of the China-Britain Business Council (CBBC), Group Head of Public Affairs, HSBC Holdings plc.
The Rt Hon Lord Hammond of Runnymede, the former Chancellor of the Exchequer said in his speech that the last two years of pandemic have been a challenging period for the global economy, especially for international trade and UK-China relations.
China is the second largest economy in the world and it takes important position in UK’s export market and imports source. Current forecast suggests a strong recovery in both Chinese and the UK economies. The UK remains a destination of choice for Chinese businesses investing in Europe. As China creates huge incremental market demand it will be an important partner for UK’s post Brexit.
He also reminded that China will also be an indispensable partner in the battle against global warming. Both as a contributor to decarbonisation and its own economy.In the future, we should focus on what we have in common, on cooperating to the mutual benefit of our people as well as free and fair trades.
John Edwards, Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioner, British Embassy Beijing, wishes Happy New Year to all participants of the event. He stated in his keynote speech that the UK is determined to deepen China-UK trade relationship and attract more Chinese investment into the UK in ways that support UK values, national security and long-term economic strength. He highlighted that not only is UK an important market for Chinese goods, but its investment in China continues to grow. Equally, China is a significant market for UK goods. Chinese companies recognise the transparent and predictable investment environment that the UK provides and that the UK have particularly welcomed the contribution China has been making to the UK’s green transition. Looking into the future, the UK will be working with Chinese companies to expand electric vehicle manufacturers, renewable supply chain to help the UK build the most exciting green market in the world and to make a joint contribution to the defining thing in our time, green economy.
Stephen Perry, Chairman of the 48 Group Club expressed his sincere thanks to President Xi Jinping for his congratulatory letter and Ambassador Zheng for his message. He said that despite the current challenges in China-UK relations, President Xi’s congratulatory letter gave us a deep sense of the importance China attaches to bilateral trade relations between China and the UK. Both China and the UK are permanent members of the UN Security Council and have a responsibility to work together to maintain peace in the world. China and the UK continue to set new records in trade levels to build a solid foundation for economic and trade cooperation. We look forward to China sharing their innovation and development achievements and contribution to the advancement of global economic recovery and the development of relations between the UK and China.
Mr FANG Wenjian, Chairman of CCCUK, General Manager of Bank of China London Branch, said that the tiger symbolises strength, courage, determination and confidence in China. He quoted an ancient story about how a tiger goes from nobody to king as an analogy for the flourishing of China-UK economic and cultural relations since the first icebreakers opened the door to trade links in the 1950s. He hoped that with the new challenges and opportunities for relations between two countries, China and the UK could be more open-minded and accommodating to open up a new and shared future.
Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles, Chair of CBBC, Group Head of Public Affairs, HSBC Holdings plc, praised the wise words of President Xi’s congratulatory letter and sent New Year’s greetings to the guests. He said that the Chinese community has brought wealth and diversity to the British society and has made extraordinary contributions to British national life. It is hoped that China and the UK will work together to continuously strengthen economic, commercial and cultural ties, build up momentum in the new year, continue to enhance bilateral exchanges and mutual trust, and inject new vitality into China-UK economic and trade cooperation.
Virtual celebration of the Chinese New Year with various cultural highlights
Having been held for many years consecutively, the ‘Icebreakers’ Chinese New Year celebration has become an iconic event for the political and business communities from China and Britain. This year’s celebration was held online again in happiness and warmth, filled with a festive mood of vibrant spring and jubilant delight. In a cookery demonstration, which was part of the special cultural interactions arranged by the organisers, the ‘Meaningful Courses’ (pronounced Yi-Tou Cai in Chinese) for the Year of the Tiger were presented to the audience, offering a glimpse of the broad range of Chinese culinary arts. A great performance of singing and Chinese folk dance was also put on, virtually creating a unique festive atmosphere of the Year of the Tiger.
The event is nine days away from the opening of the 2022 Winter Olympics. In order to express their expectations and wishes for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, the audience also watched the theme songs of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, “Meet Beijing in 2022” and “You Are a Miracle”. Children from Millburn Primary School in Northern Ireland, UK, sang Chinese songs with clear voices to cheer for the Beijing Winter Olympics. The Olympic ice and snow and traditional Chinese culture complement each other, making this “Icebreaker” Chinese New Year celebration a complete success.
The event was co-hosted by The 48 Group Club, whose predecessor was the ‘48 Group of China-Britain Trade Mission’ established in 1954. At the time, 48 businessmen from British companies, known as the ‘Icebreakers’, took the lead in breaking the barriers of the western embargo against China and started the earliest trade discussion between the UK and the People’s Republic of China with non-governmental forces. The other two hosts – CCCUK and CBBC – have continuously built bridges for economic and trade cooperation between the two countries and promoted positive Sino-British relations over the years.
英国时间1月26日，由英国48家集团俱乐部、英国中国商会与英中贸易协会联合举办的“破冰者”2022新春庆祝活动在线上成功举办。中国国家主席习近平向“破冰者”2022新春庆祝活动致贺电。
习近平在贺电中指出，上世纪50年代，以杰克·佩里先生为代表的英国企业家开启“破冰之旅”，打破了西方对华贸易的坚冰。今年是中英建立大使级外交关系50周年，回首过去，我们不会忘记为中英关系发展作出历史贡献的老一辈友人。展望未来，希望两国有识之士和工商界代表秉持“破冰精神”，不断拓展互利合作，赋予中英友好新的时代内涵，更好造福两国和两国人民。
中国驻英国大使郑泽光表示，习近平主席的贺电充分体现了对中英关系的高度重视，以及对两国有识之士和工商界代表的殷切期待，为我们携手推动两国关系发展、拓展双方互利合作指明了方向。郑大使强调，新的一年，中英将迎来建立大使级外交关系50周年，两国关系发展和双方经贸合作面临新的机遇和挑战。希望两国有识之士和工商界能把握时代潮流，破除新时期影响双方正常交往与互利合作的“坚冰”，为中英合作注入正能量；希望大家乘势而上、顺势而为，积极推动中英各领域对话与合作，争取早行动、早收获；希望大家携手奋进，发挥各自优势，深化贸易、投资、金融、制造业、基础设施等传统领域合作，拓展医疗卫生、金融科技、绿色能源、数字经济、创意产业等新领域务实合作，开拓第三方市场合作，打造更多合作新亮点，更好造福两国人民和世界人民，凭着像虎一样的勇敢和干劲，共同推动双方经贸合作创造新辉煌，为中英关系增添新动力。
图1：中国驻英国大使郑泽光致辞
政商界高层齐荟聚 气氛热烈
本次活动以“共庆中国年，迈向新未来”为主题，超过500名中英嘉宾观众齐聚云端，共度新春佳节携手迈向新未来。
图2：发言嘉宾合影
前英国财政大臣哈蒙德勋爵（The Rt Hon Lord Hammond of Runnymede），英国驻华贸易专员吴侨文（John Edwards），英国48家集团俱乐部主席斯蒂芬﹒佩里(Stephen Perry)，英国中国商会会长、中国银行伦敦分行行长方文建，英中贸易协会主席、汇丰集团公共事务全球负责人古沛勤爵士(Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles)等嘉宾出席本次活动并致辞。
图3：前英国财政大臣哈蒙德勋爵致辞
前英国财政大臣哈蒙德勋爵（The Rt Hon Lord Hammond of Runnymede）在致辞中表示受到疫情的影响，过去两年全球经济都处于动荡时期，尤其对国际贸易和英中关系产生了较大影响。但最新预测显示，英国仍是中国企业在欧洲投资的首选地，同时，英国公司也在继续积极寻求机会进军正在快速增长的中国消费市场，中国将成为英国脱欧后的重要合作伙伴。哈蒙德勋爵还提出在应对全球变暖问题上，中国也是不可或缺的伙伴，中英将共同为减碳和其自身经济做出贡献。他表示，未来两国应该求同存异，合作共赢，实现自由公平的贸易。
图4：英国驻华贸易专员吴侨文致辞
英国驻华贸易专员吴侨文（John Edwards）主旨演讲中表示，英方将继续深化中英贸易关系，以维护英国价值观、保护国家安全和促进长期经济实力增长的方式吸引更多中国投资进入英国。他强调，双边经贸一直是中英关系的中流砥柱，两国均将对方视为重要市场，英国在中国的投资也在持续增长。中国企业认可英国透明、可预测的投资环境，英国也非常欢迎中企对英国绿色转型的贡献。展望未来，英国将与中国企业共同发展电动汽车制造业、可再生能源供应链，帮助英国打造全球领先的绿色市场，携手为绿色经济做出贡献。
图5：48家集团俱乐部主席斯蒂芬﹒佩里致辞
48家集团俱乐部主席斯蒂芬﹒佩里(Stephen Perry)对习近平主席的贺电和郑大使的致辞表达了郑重感谢。他表示，尽管当前中英关系面临挑战，但习主席的贺电让我们深刻感受到中国对中英双边关系的重视。中英两国都是联合国安理会常任理事国，有责任共同维护世界的和平。中英两国间不断创纪录的贸易水平为经贸合作提供了坚实基础，我们期待中国分享其创新和发展成果，为推动世界经济复苏和中英两国关系的发展做出贡献。
图6：英国中国商会会长、中国银行伦敦分行行长方文建致辞
英国中国商会会长方文建在致辞中表示，在中国，老虎象征着力量、勇气、决心和信心。他通过讲述传说中老虎通过不断学习从“弱者”变为“王者”的故事，比喻中英自上世纪50年代贸易破冰以来，在两国各界人士一代又一代的共同努力下，中英经贸文化合作取得蓬勃发展。他希望在当前两国关系面临新的机遇和挑战下，双方可以更加开放包容，合作共赢，在即将迎来的虎年共同开创一个崭新的未来。
图7：英中贸易协会主席、汇丰集团公共事务全球负责人古沛勤爵士致辞
英中贸易协会主席、汇丰集团公共事务全球负责人古沛勤爵士(Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles) 对习近平主席贺电的睿智话语表示感谢，并为现场嘉宾送上虎年新春祝福。他表示，华人社区为英国社会带来了财富和多样性，做出的卓越贡献有目共睹。希望中英两国携手合作，不断增强经济、商业及文化纽带，在新的一年里蓄满动力，继续增进双方交流互信，为中英经贸合作注入新的活力。
线上精彩文化活动 年味十足
据了解，“破冰者”新春庆祝活动已连续多年举办，成为中英政商界具有代表性的知名盛会。今年的庆祝活动再次以线上方式举办，现场气氛欢乐祥和、暖意十足，洋溢着春意盎然、喜庆热烈的浓浓年味儿。主办方特别设置文化互动环节，在虎年美食互动节目中为大家呈现了虎年“意头菜”，向参会嘉宾展示了中国博大精深的美食文化。中国传统舞蹈表演更是精彩纷呈，营造出特别的云上虎年新春氛围。
图8：新年庆祝环节-虎年美食互动节目
图9：新年庆祝环节-中国传统舞蹈
本次活动距离2022年冬季奥林匹克运动会开幕还有9天。为表达对2022年北京冬奥会的期待与祝福，与会观众还观看了2022年北京冬季奥林匹克运动会主题歌曲《2022相约北京》和《你就是奇迹》。英国北爱尔兰米尔本学校（Millburn Primary School）的孩子们用清澈的歌声唱响中文歌曲为北京冬奥会加油，奥林匹克冰雪与中国传统文化交相辉映，为本次“破冰者”新春庆祝活动画上圆满句号。
图10：新年庆祝环节-冬奥歌曲联唱《2022相约北京》
图11：新年庆祝环节-冬奥歌曲联唱《你就是奇迹》
本次活动由英国48家集团俱乐部、英国中国商会、英中贸易协会联合举办，三家主办方多年来持续为中英各界人士交流对话搭建平台，助力中英经贸合作，共同推动中英友好关系向前发展。
图12：活动主视觉
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