Business leaders eager to capitalize on momentum after boost in bilateral ties

Business leaders in the United Kingdom, eager to capitalize on the momentum generated by the UK prime minister’s visit to China, expressed interest in China’s market and collaborating with Chinese partners at an annual gathering in London on Friday.

Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng sent a congratulatory message to the“Icebreakers” Chinese New Year celebration 2026, which drew around 500 guests from government, business, and academia in the UK.

China’s ambassador to the UK, Zheng Zeguang, read out the letter.

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The vice-premier, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, noted that China and the UK recently reached an important consensus on developing a long-term and consistent comprehensive strategic partnership, breaking new ground for

bilateral relations and cooperation.

Additionally, he expressed hope that people from all walks of life in both countries will continue to carry forward the “ice-breaking” spirit and strengthen cooperation, including in trade, investment, financial services and technological innovation.

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Ambassador Zheng continued to address the audience, noting that the high-level engagement between leaders had produced fruitful outcomes and that government departments and enterprises signed more than 20 cooperation agreements, covering sectors including investment, agriculture and food.

Zheng said that in the upcoming Year of the Horse, China will kick-start the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30), which will boost domestic consumption, expand the supply of quality goods and services, advance innovation-driven development, and deepen reform and opening-up, creating opportunities for UK businesses where they have a competitive edge.

The ambassador also said details for visa-free access for UK nationals to China will be announced soon, leading to more people-to-people exchanges and more cooperation on education, culture, tourism, and sports.

The positive sentiments were echoed by hosts and guests alike, the majority of whom have been involved in China-UK relations.

Jack Perry, chairman of the 48 Group, praised the UK prime minister’s visit to Beijing, the first in eight years, and said it showed the vigor of an icebreaking spirit and renewed the bilateral relationship.

“It was a serious engagement undertaken with intent, clarity, and responsibility … and set the tone for a relationship built on trust, long-term thinking, and a real economic substance,” said Perry, adding that he recently founded a company, LEC Robotics, to bring Chinese robots to the UK and will visit in late March to explore more opportunities.

“Looking ahead to 2026, this is where our focus will be: high-impact delegations, clear sector priorities, engagement that leads to outcomes rather than conversations,” he said.

Fang Wenjian, chairman of the China Chamber of Commerce in the UK and general manager of Bank of China London branch, said about British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s recent China visit: “We all felt this was a very encouraging and positive start of a new era. While we celebrate this historic visit, the responsibility of our business community is clear. Our task now is to follow through and to deliver and to turn this momentum into sustainable results.”

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Sebastian Wood, chair of the ChinaBritain Business Council, said the outcomes from the prime minister’s visit left him feeling optimistic and energized, and that the Chinese government’s commitments to increase consumption, open up the service sector to foreign companies, and decarbonize its economy also play to the strength of UK businesses.

“Trade between us has grown steadily over the past years, but today we may be entering a new takeoff phase, as the complementarity between us increases,” said Wood.

“And the result will be more prosperity, jobs, and growth for the families and households of our two countries as the Chinese proverb goes, the arriving horse brings success.”

Greg Jackson, founder of Octopus Energy, the UK’s largest energy provider, was among those in the PM’s business delegation to China, when he signed a cooperation agreement with Chinese renewable energy company PCG Power.

“China is increasingly building more renewable energy than anyone else in the world,” said Jackson, adding that his company is already working with around nine Chinese companies in trial programs and early stages of developing new agreements.

The event was hosted by the 48 Group, an organization dedicated to promoting Sino-UK trade cooperation since the 1950s, with the China Chamber of Commerce in the UK and the China-Britain Business Council.