(Photo provided by the China-Britain Business Council)

On November 20, the UK-Greater Bay Area Conference was held in Qianhai, Shenzhen. Organized by the China-Britain Business Council (CBBC), the event attracted over 200 representatives from government, business, and think tank sectors of both countries, marking its third anniversary.

Sir Sherard Louis Cowper-Coles, former Chairman of CBBC, said on the conference that the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area has become a truly global bay area. He noted that the 15th National Games, jointly hosted by Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao, exemplifies the deep integration and connectivity within the region.

Peter Wilson, the British Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China, emphasized the potential for economic cooperation between the UK and China, underscoring the complementary nature of the two economies. He pointed to UK strengths in sectors such as financial services and life sciences, while noting shared leadership in clean energy as a promising area for partnership.

He specifically emphasized the field of artificial intelligence (AI) as a key frontier for cooperation, citing the presence of 168 tech "unicorns" in the UK, a figure that leads Europe, as evidence of a thriving ecosystem for innovation and application in AI.

In addition, Ambassador Wilson expressed hope for enhanced high-level exchanges and more UK decision-makers visiting the Greater Bay Area for new collaborative opportunities. “This year, our engagement with China has been intensive. All these efforts are building a framework for even more intensive cooperation in the future,” he said.

The year 2025 holds particular significance for UK-China relations. The two countries resumed the UK-China Economic and Financial Dialogue early this year. Notably, the UK’s new Secretary of State for Business and Trade led a delegation to China just five days after taking office, co-chairing the first China-UK Joint Economic and Trade Commission meeting in seven years. The UK also served as the Guest of Honour Country at the 2025 China International Consumer Products Expo and the China International Fair for Investment and Trade, where over 100 British companies and institutions participated.

Launched by CBBC, the UK-Greater Bay Area Conference aims to deepen cooperation in trade, technology, and other key sectors. Over the past three years, it has become a vital platform for advancing pragmatic collaboration and creating investment and innovation opportunities for businesses of both nations.