Consul General Zheng Xiyuan Met New British Consul General in Chongqing Via Video Call

2020-06-16 02:03

On June 10, 2020, Consul General Zheng Xiyuan talked with Stephen Ellison, the newly-appointed British Consul General in Chongqing via video call. Consul Lyu Xiaomei and Rhys Whalley, Executive Director of the Manchester China Forum, joined the talk.

Consul General Zheng congratulated Stephen on his new post and brief him on the historical and cultural links between Chongqing and North England, introducing the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Zone as the fourth growth engine bolstering China’s economic development with its unique strengths in industrial foundation, population composition as well as science and education. He advised Stephen to start office by locating more stories of China-UK friendship to strengthen mutual cultural links, and seize the opportunity to synergize opportunities provided by the Belt and Road Initiative and the Northern Powerhouse Plan to advance sub-national collaboration, for the development of China-UK Relations and the benefit of the two peoples.

Consul General Ellison thanked Consul General Zheng for his introduction and advice, and expressed the importance for post-Brexit UK to work closely with China in the aftermath of the pandemic. He said Southwest China is a region blessed with rich resources and unique culture on top of the great potential for UK-China collaboration in various areas. He is looking forward to facilitating practical cooperation between the two countries. He pointed out that the upgrading of infrastructure in Northern England is a current priority on British government’s agenda, which provides a historical opportunity for UK-China cooperation, and hoped that more Chinese enterprises would invest in the area.