LONDON - China and the United Kingdom (UK) should implement the important consensus reached by leaders of both nations, uphold mutual respect, openness, and inclusiveness, focus on cooperation, and eliminate distractions, Chinese Ambassador to the UK Zheng Zeguang said at a recent event.
Addressing the Sino-UK Financial Education Symposium on Thursday, Zheng emphasized the strong potential for deeper China-UK collaboration in both the finance and education sectors.
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In the area of green finance, cooperation is accelerating, Zheng noted, citing a key milestone in April when the Chinese government issued 6 billion yuan (about $836.2 million) in green sovereign bonds on the London Stock Exchange.
Education continues to be a cornerstone of the bilateral relationship. According to the ambassador, China remains the largest source of international students in the UK, with more than 200,000 Chinese students currently in the country. Between 2013 and 2024, around 50,000 British students participated in academic programs in China.
These figures, Zheng said, have demonstrated China's openness to welcoming more British students for study and cultural exchange programs.
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However, Zheng also warned of increasing instability and uncertainty challenging the world economic growth. The trade war initiated by the United States has severely undermined the World Trade Organization rules and the multilateral trading system, disrupted the security and stability of global industrial and supply chains, and jeopardized the global economy and the interests of all countries, he said, calling for greater unity and cooperation in the international community.
The event was attended by many representatives from the financial, educational sectors, and think tanks in China and the UK, including Li Min, secretary general of the Western Returned Scholars Association, Michael Lawrence, CEO of Asia House, and David Quarry, member of the Board of Asia House, attended the event.
