British companies sign deals worth $105 mln at CIIE

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Europe

05:04

China and the UK have furthered their cooperation at the first China International Import Expo (CIIE), signing 105-million-US-dollar worth of deals in the life science, education and creative sectors, according to Tony Clemson, the British deputy consul general in Shanghai.

Clemson said the UK chose "innovation" as their theme at the event to stand out from other countries.

"Two reasons for that, firstly, President Xi has been clear that innovation is a key driver for economic growth, and we want to show that we're ready and able to support that. And secondly, to make sure that Chinese businesses and citizens see that the UK is world-class in innovation," he said.

Clemson shared a revolutionary invention called LiFi, which combines light and WiFi. "In a digital connected future, when we all have 5G devices, these devices will also be able to connect to light bulbs. And, apparently, it's many times faster than standard WiFi," he added.

The UK is a world leader in innovation, with some of the best universities in the world, like Oxford, Cambridge and many others. Still, the country has around 100 Nobel Prizes in science, Clemson said.

Olly. /CGTN Photo

Clemson expressed his love for an AI robot called Olly, "the world's first robot with personality." You can have a conversation with the robot, and it can even react to your facial expressions to tell if you're happy or sad, Clemson added.

Clemson highlighted deals in the healthcare sector, which will tackle cancer and improve the quality of life for many elderly Chinese citizens. "This is really innovation improving the lives of people in China for the future."

Clemson said he was excited to see more co-productions in film and television between Chinese and British companies, similar to the documentary "Earth: One Amazing Day," which was produced by the BBC and Shanghai Media Group.

"[The CIIE] is about bringing businesses together to learn and to set the groundwork for the future," Clemson said, adding that it's also about "increasing understanding and giving British companies the confidence to come out here and engage and to make a success."