In recent years, Chinese capital has been continuously seeking safe havens for overseas investment, with the UK being the optimal choice. According to official data, the UK has become China's largest investment destination in Europe, and China will rely on the UK to actively explore global markets. At the recent 48 Group Club 'Icebreaker' Awards ceremony, Chinese Ambassador to the UK Liu Xiaoming delivered a speech, encouraging people from both China and the UK to continue carrying forward the 'Icebreaker' spirit, and to promote mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries on a broader, higher, and deeper level, which will benefit overseas investors immigrating to the UK.
The annual 48 Group Club 'Icebreaker' Awards ceremony was held on the 9th at the Chinese Embassy in the UK, where 6 individuals from both countries who have made outstanding contributions to promoting friendly relations between China and the UK received this honor.
This year's award recipients include: Martin Davidson, Chairman of the Great Britain-China Centre; Lord Bates, Minister of State at the UK Home Office; Sir Vince Cable, former UK Secretary of State for Business; Alan Cook, Chairman of Atkins; Professor Chris Rudd, Provost of the University of Nottingham Ningbo China; and Si Bingjun, General Manager of PetroChina International (London) Co., Ltd.
Chinese Ambassador to the UK Liu Xiaoming stated in his speech at the awards ceremony that China-UK relations have reached a new historical starting point. President Xi Jinping's 'super state visit' to the UK was an unprecedented success, and both sides announced that China and the UK will build a global comprehensive strategic partnership for the 21st century, creating a 'Golden Era' of durable, open, and win-win China-UK relations. This new positioning has defined the direction and goals for the development of China-UK relations and provides a guide for action for all those committed to friendly cooperation between the two countries.
Liu Xiaoming noted that today, the 'ice' that once hindered exchanges between China and the UK has long since disappeared, but the 'Icebreaker spirit' advocated by The 48 Group Club more than 60 years ago is not outdated. Ambassador Liu Xiaoming encouraged people from both China and the UK to continue to carry forward the 'Icebreaker' spirit, endow it with new contemporary meaning, and promote mutually beneficial cooperation between China and the UK on a broader, higher, and deeper level.
The 48 Group Club was formerly known as the '48 Group' of British traders with China, established in 1954. It was composed of a group of British business people who broke the Western embargo on China at the time to engage in trade with China. They were the pioneers of China-UK trade and are also known as the 'Icebreakers'.