Newcastle Business School professor leading debate on UK’s National initiative to China

Professor Yu Xiong from Northumbria University, Newcastle, has addressed two top level events recently on strengthening business collaboration between China and the UK.

The Newcastle Business School academic spoke first at the China UK High Level People to People (P2P) Dialogue on September 16, which was led by Rt. Hon. Jeremy Hunt MP, and China Vice-Premier Madam Yandong Liu – one of the most senior politicians in China. Along with Northumbria, Cambridge was the only other university to be represented at the talks.

Debating on the China UK Young Leaders Roundtable, Professor Xiong talked about how to develop an innovation eco-system between the two countries. He was joined by other speakers, including Rt Hon. Hugo Swire MP and Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, and Rt Hon. David Willets, while the roundtable was facilitated by Rt Hon Liam Byrne MP.

On 18 September, Prof. Xiong spoke again to address the China UK Innovation Leaders Roundtable, as another important part of the P2P Dialogue. The Dialogue was launched by Jeremy Hunt and former Chinese premier, Jiabao Wen in 2011, with annual Ministerial meetings to be held alternately in the UK and China, to step up the UK’s work with the Chinese in areas such as education provision, scientific research and innovation and culture, all of which help generate revenue in the UK from the Chinese market.

Professor Xiong says this year is extremely significant for China-UK relations. It has been described by the Chinese Ambassador to the UK, H. E. Liu Xiaoming, as a “golden time” with events including a visit by Xi Jinping in October – the first state visit by a Chinese President in 10 years.

Professor Xiong said: “These dialogue meetings and roundtables are hugely important and influential, and are used to help shape policy around fostering innovation and entrepreneurship between the UK and China. I am therefore delighted to have been as a speaker at both events on behalf of Newcastle Business School. Furthermore, meeting Madame Lui Yandong, who holds one of the highest political positions in China, is a considerable opportunity – especially as it comes just a month before the Chinese Presidential visit to the UK.”

China is considered at the forefront for innovation, not only for politicians and businessmen, but also from world leading researchers.

Professor Yu Xiong is a board member of the China UK Innovation Expert Group run by Department of Business, Innovation and Skills, and has extensive experience of advising many UK businesses in exploring opportunities in China.