At the forum, Chairman of Fosun International, Guo Guangchang delivered a keynote speech on empowering financial development with technology, strengthening China-UK cooperation and facilitating RMB internationalisation. Later, Guo attended and spoke at a small meeting between the Prime Minister and Chinese entrepreneurs.
Before the forum, Guo and Xu Xiaoliang, Co-President of Fosun International, accompanied Theresa May and her delegation to the Yuyuan Garden (as pictured), a place that offers classic garden scenery across South East China and an experience of traditional Chinese culture.
The China-UK Business Forum itself was held at 1862 Art Center, Harbour City, where entrepreneurs from the two countries had talks on building ‘Golden Era 2.0’ between China and the UK. Speakers included Dr. Liam Fox, the UK's Secretary of State for International Trade, Nobel Laureate Kostya Novosolev, Dame Nancy Rothwell, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Manchester, Jack Ma, Executive Chairman of Alibaba Group, Li Shufu, Chairman of Geely Group, and Jane Sun, CEO of Ctirp. A small meeting was added to the forum. The collision of Chinese and British cultures on site spoke for “harmony in diversity.”
In the keynote speech, Guo expressed a warm welcome to the Prime Minister and introduced Fosun, an enterprise that, with its roots in China, and through technology and customer-to-maker (C2M) ecosystems, brings health, happiness and wealth to families around the world. Guo then introduced Fosun’s investment and industrial layout in the UK, a cooperation that started in the UK in 2011, saying: “Thomas Cook, the world's first travel agency, Silver Cross, the 141-year-old stroller brand, Links of London, the British high-end jewellery brand, The Floow, one of the world’s top three innovative telematics data service providers, and Resolution, the UK’s professional asset management platform.”
Chairman Guo also drew attention to one of the groups most recent UK investments, Wolverhampton Wanderers FC, one of the UK's oldest football clubs, who currently sit top of the English Football League Championship. He said: “We are fully hoping to be playing in the Premier League next season.”
With respect to China-UK cooperation, Guo also talked about new opportunities for the British financial industry in the new era, concluding: “I believe that the UK, in its ‘new globalisation’, will definitely have closer cooperation with China and we are ready to be a key partner of the UK in its ‘new globalisation’.”
In her closing remarks at the forum, Prime Minister May mentioned four key concepts of cooperation, openness, technology and women. She said: “As President Xi, quoting Shakespeare, said to me: ‘What’s past is prologue’, and I totally agree. The UK and China are opening a new chapter in our Golden Era.”
The Prime Minister expressed positive attitude and great sincerity for globalisation and the China-UK cooperation. The two countries are looking forward to facilitating all-round cooperation. The ‘Golden Era’ of China- UK relationship is right here.
