China firmly supports trade liberalization and economic globalization under the current global circumstances, and is a staunch supporter of world peace, Chinese President Xi Jinping Tuesday said during a meeting with Stephen Perry, chairman of the 48 Group Club, a British organization composed of company leaders promoting Britain-China trade.
"We advocate for enhancing exchanges, cooperation, understanding and mutual trust in international affairs while avoiding suspicion, prejudice and misunderstanding," Xi said.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening up, Xi said, adding that great achievements have been made in China's economic and social development over the past four decades.
"It has strengthened our determination to persist in reform and opening up but China has no intention to seek hegemony," Xi noted.
He said that China advocates building a community of shared future for mankind, developing friendly relations among countries and promoting a "golden era" for China-UK ties.
"Your father led dozens of visionary British business people to China in the early 1950s, when the Western countries imposed a trade embargo on the People's Republic of China, starting the icebreaker tour," Xi said. "That was really amazing."
"I am glad to see that the spirit of that ice-breaking journey is being passed down from generation to generation," he added.
Xi said that the new generation of ice-breakers, represented by the 48 Group Club, continue to devote themselves enthusiastically to the cause of China-UK friendship.
The Chinese people are making unremitting efforts to achieve the country's "two centenary goals" and the country has initiated the process of reform and opening up by drawing lessons from history, Xi said.
The two centenary goals are making China “a moderately prosperous society” by 2021, the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party, and “a modern socialist country that is prosperous and strong” by 2049, the 100th anniversary of the People's Republic.
Perry hailed China's remarkable achievements in development over the past four decades, recalling that the country was still very poor and backward during the ice breaking period.
The 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) has drawn a grand blueprint for China's future development and achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is the grand project of this era, he added.
"I am impressed by the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics and have confidence that the country will achieve its goal."
He emphasized that the 48 Group Club is committed to enhancing China's exchanges and communication with the outside world, and is willing to take an active part in China's development and rejuvenation.
"We highly appreciate China's Belt and Road Initiative and the concept of a community of shared future for mankind," Perry said, adding that the 48 Group Club will support globalization, build an open world economy and promote cooperation between the two countries within the Belt and Road framework.