The Great Britain China Centre’s ‘Leadership Programme’ visited Birmingham recently as part of a high level delegation in to the UK to strengthen Sino-UK strategic relations. The Leadership Programme has been running since 2007 and this is the first visit to a UK city other than London.

Organised by the Great Britain China Centre (GBCC) and the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the aim is to improve mutual understanding between emerging political leaders of both sides, to build relationships and friendships for the future and to develop partnership between China and the UK.

The theme this year was ‘UK-China 2020: Partnership for Prosperity and Progress’ and the delegation was given an economic overview of the Greater Birmingham region and a briefing on Birmingham-China relations. Sir Albert Bore hosted an informal dinner where the themes under discussion included post industrial economic policy, free trade between the UK and China and areas of future cooperation. Of particular interest was the relationship between the city government and the national government.

The visitors welcomed the opportunity to visit Birmingham and follow up actions including an invite to speak at a conference on Sino-UK city to city relations and a possible economic partnership with the city of Heze in Shandong province.

More info on GBCC can be found here: http://www.gbcc.org.uk/default.aspx

02/05/14