Bilateral cooperation boosted at UK- China Regional Leaders Summit
The 4th UK - China Regional Leaders Summit takes place today (16 October) in Dalian.
Bilateral cooperation boosted at UK- China Regional Leaders Summit
Together with 31 Chinese provincial and municipal governments, the 100 strong UK delegation led by the UK Ambassador to China Dame Barbara Woodward is to discuss common challenges and identify opportunities for partnerships and exchanges over the next two days.
This year, the UK delegation comprises government leaders and senior academics and business executives from Northern Ireland, Northern Powerhouse, Glasgow and Northamptonshire. They are keen to cooperate with Chinese regions on green and innovative economic growth, higher education, skills and vocational training, and care of an ageing population.
Seven memoranda of understanding and agreements have been signed at the Summit:
- MoU on deepening of Sports Collaboration between Dalian Government and the City of Glasgow
- The agreement on establishing Friendly Cooperative City Relation between Northampton and Dalian
- MoU between Dalian University of Foreign Languages and Queen’s University Belfast in Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
- MoU between Dalian Vocational and Technical College and Northwest College to cooperate on course development and student teacher exchange
- MoU between Academy of Fine Arts, Dalian University and Glasgow School of Art to develop academic and educational cooperation
- The agreement of establishing Friendly Cooperation Relationship between Dalian Huayuankou Economic Zone, Northampton University China and Emerging Economies Centre and the British Enterprise Partnership
- MoU between Dalian Lvshunkou District & British Xinchuang London Technology Centre
Regional links and UK relations with Dalian and Northeast China
Following President Xi’s State Visit to the UK in 2015 and the UK Prime Minister’s Official Visit to China early this year, our two countries are committed to broaden regional and local collaboration.
Over the last three years the number of active partnerships between UK regional and local governments and Chinese counterparts has doubled. For example, Derry & Strabane signed a friendship partnership with Dalian in May 2018. Cooperation in the public service and private sectors has blossomed with links between UK and Chinese universities, hospitals, companies and other organisations.
The first group of students from the Joint College in Shenyang established by Queen’s University Belfast and the prestigious China Medical University graduated this summer.
Minister & Deputy Head of Mission, Christina Scott said:
In this Golden Era of UK-China relations the Regional Leaders Summits have produced an impressive legacy of partnerships between the UK and China, on-going policy exchanges, people-to-people links, friendship and very tangible economic benefits.
Our ambition for today’s Summit is not just to strengthen connections between our regional governments but also between the vast array of actors – universities, schools, hospitals, companies, public service providers, cultural bodies, museums and sports clubs – which make our local communities vibrant, exciting and dynamic places to live and work in.