Brexit or not, London will stay open for Chinese business
Gordon Innes says the Brexit vote has given the UK the chance to forge stronger trade and investment links with countries outside the European Union, and China is a priority
President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) first state visit to the UK last year was proof that China is one of London’s and the UK’s most important trade and investment partners. But in the wake of the British vote to leave the European Union, questions have arisen around how this relationship could change.
The short answer is: London will remain an international business centre which is open for Chinese business.
In fact, Britain’s chancellor of the exchequer, George Osborne, met senior Chinese officials in London on July 6 and will shortly attend the G20 finance summit in Chengdu (成都) to foster stronger ties between the two countries and reassure business leaders that the UK sees China as one of its most important trading partners.
The long-term success of a global trading city is built on strong foundations of openness, innovation and the ability to attract skilled workers and investment. These qualities have been established over hundreds of years and none of that has changed for London in the past few weeks.
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London remains the No 1 capital city for Chinese investment outside Asia over the last decade.