Keith Bennett, vice chair of Britain's 48 Group Club, has said that attempts to isolate China from the global economy are unrealistic, emphasizing the country's position as the world's second-largest economy and a central pillar of global trade.

"China is a leading country in innovation and research and development. It's the main trading partner of the overwhelming majority of countries in the world. It's a major investor internationally. It's a major recipient of foreign direct investment," said Bennett during an interview with CGTN on the sidelines of the International Forum of the Overseas Studies on Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, which was held in Beijing on Wednesday and Thursday.

"So the attempts to isolate China are not going to succeed," Bennett said.

The vice chair of the 48 Group Club, a non-governmental business organization that promotes trade and economic relations between Britain and China, also highlighted the potential for cooperation between the two countries.

"The potential for more positive economic and trade and cultural interaction between our two countries is still very much present, particularly if Britain is to fulfill the growth agenda that the government has set out," he said.

(Cover: A port in east China's Shanghai, August 7, 2025. /VCG)