The third meeting of the China-UK Forum opened in Marlow, Britain on Wednesday with the aim of promoting mutual understanding and comprehensive development of the bilateral relations.
During the two-day gathering, participants from both countries were expected to discuss issues concerning industry, culture, education, environment, technology, finance, law and media, thus creating conditions for bilateral cooperation in these areas.
The theme of the meeting is "the challenge of globalization."
Before the opening ceremony, British Prime Minister Tony Blair met some key members of the China-UK Forum at No.10 Downing Street on Wednesday morning. Song Jian, Vice-Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and co-chairman of the China-UK Forum, conveyed Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji's greeting to Blair, saying the Chinese premier attaches great importance to the Forum.
At the opening ceremony, Song Jian said that Sino-British relations have maintained good momentum thanks to joint efforts, and the two countries have had frequent high-level exchanges over the past two years, adding that areas of cooperation have also expanded.
He also said that trade volume between the two countries has been increasing rapidly, and such a forum between the two sides is becoming an important channel for Sino-British cooperation. He also said the frank exchange of views at the event will be conducive to promoting cooperation between governments and enterprises of the two countries.
The forum, a high-level and non-governmental gathering, was initiated by heads of government of China and Britain in 1998. The first meeting of the forum was held in London in October 1999 and Chinese President Jiang Zemin and British Prime Minister Tony Blair addressed the opening ceremony of the meeting. The second meeting was held in Beijing in October 2000.
At the opening ceremony, Michael Heseltine, the former British deputy prime minister and co-chairman of the China-UK Forum, praised the meeting's role in promoting mutual understanding between Britain and China.
He said: "the Forum aims to represent the strength of the relationship between Britain and China outside the political leadership and looking round today it is clear that the relationship is very strong indeed."
"It is a sign for me that the Forum goes from strength to strength and I believe it is playing a key role in the relations between out two countries," he added.
(Xinhua News Agency October 24,2001)
