President of the Sino-British Trade Association, Peter White: The scale and potential of the Chinese market are worth long-term investment.

From the ancient city walls of Xi'an to the innovation workshops of Shenzhen, from the financial center of Shanghai to the trade hub of Guangzhou, Peter, the President of the British Chamber of Commerce in China, recently led a delegation of 35 British business representatives to China for a visit, visiting six cities including Xi'an, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong in two weeks. "This is a journey to rediscover China," Peter said with excitement. Making frequent trips between China and the UK, he has witnessed China's economic development for decades, but this time, he saw a different landscape. The British companies in this delegation come from various sectors including financial services, professional services, consumer goods, education technology, and green energy. When asked if any businesses had reached cooperation intentions during this trip, Peter humorously said, "Business cooperation is like dating, it's difficult to immediately get engaged at the first meeting. But this visit has made many 'heart-racing' moments possible." He revealed that at least a dozen projects have entered into in-depth discussions, "I have noticed that Chinese companies are changing their international mindset, and I hope to establish long-term partnerships with British institutions, such as setting up joint ventures in the UK, building research and development centers, and sharing market channels." Peter said, "The British companies that have achieved long-term success in the Chinese market all have one thing in common - they do not see China as a place for short-term profit, but are willing to go through economic cycles and grow together with the Chinese market." He noted that some British companies in China have increased investment in digital transformation and localized research and development, "because they understand that the scale and potential of the Chinese market are worth long-term investment."