Vice Minister of Commerce and Deputy Representative for International Trade Negotiations Ling Ji met with the Chairman of the Sino-British Trade Association, Gu Peiqin, in Beijing on November 27. Executives from over twenty British companies, including HSBC, BP plc, and GlaxoSmithKline, attended the meeting. Ling Ji stated that Sino-British economic and trade cooperation is full of vitality, with broad prospects. Both sides advocate economic globalization and trade liberalization, oppose protectionism, and believe that companies from both sides can strengthen cooperation in new energy, digital economy, intelligent manufacturing, financial services, and other fields, continuously enhancing cooperation confidence and injecting more positive energy into the development of bilateral relations. He hopes that the Sino-British Trade Association will continue to play a good bridging role, promote more British companies to invest in China, and help ensure the steady and far-reaching development of Sino-British economic and trade cooperation. Gu Peiqin expressed that the Sino-British Trade Association and the British business community are bullish on the prospects of Sino-British economic and trade cooperation, and will continue to support British companies in conducting investment cooperation in China. They also welcome Chinese companies to invest in the UK and are willing to provide active assistance. British companies such as Swire Group who attended the meeting expressed optimism about the Chinese market and intend to expand their investments in China.