On the evening of April 17, Zhou Wei, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Changzhou Municipal Committee and Mayor of Changzhou, met with Matt Burney, British Consul-General in Shanghai, and his delegation.

Zhou welcomed the delegation and briefed them on Changzhou’s economic and social development in recent years, particularly its strengths in the new energy sector. He said the city is striving to build itself into an international hub of smart manufacturing and an innovation powerhouse in the Yangtze River Delta, while continuing to pursue high-standard opening up.

Noting the strong foundation for cooperation between Changzhou and the UK, Zhou said 146 UK-invested enterprises are currently operating in the city. Changzhou will continue to foster a first-class business environment and provide high-quality services and strong support for investors.

He also expressed hope for closer ties with Solihull, Changzhou’s sister city in the UK, and called for deeper cooperation in science and technology, education, culture, sports and people-to-people exchanges, with more collaborative projects to be implemented for mutual development and lasting friendship.

Burney, who is visiting Changzhou for the first time, said he looks forward to building a positive and close relationship with the city. He noted that the recent visit by British Prime Minister to China has helped lay the groundwork for developing a comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.

He expressed interest in expanding cooperation with Changzhou in areas such as education, technology and culture, and in promoting broader exchanges among young people. He also highlighted opportunities for mutual learning and cooperation in clean energy services, advanced intelligent manufacturing and scientific innovation.

Changzhou and the UK have achieved fruitful results in cooperation across fields such as science and technology, education and culture. Platforms including the Oxford University Innovation Changzhou have been established, facilitating a total of 17 joint research and development projects.

Wycombe Abbey School Changzhou, founded in 2012, is the first sister school in China of the prestigious Wycombe Abbey School in the UK. In 2023, the Hertfordshire College, Changzhou Institute of Technology was approved by China’s Ministry of Education, becoming an important platform for China-UK higher education cooperation.

Vice Mayor Pan Dongling and Secretary-General of the municipal government Huang Jiande also attended the meeting.

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