London Lord Mayor upbeat about China's role in global growth, urges UK-China cooperation

LONDON - The Lord Mayor of the city of London, Jeffrey Mountevans, said the G20 summit held in Hangzhou is very important, and that he expects China to play an important role in promoting global economic growth.

"I think G20 is very important, something I attach personally great importance to. I think China's interest in increasing Chinese involvement in the world economy is very positive," Mountevans said in a recent interview with Xinhua.

Mountevans told Xinhua that the most interesting topic for him during this summit is green financing, which is an important topic in the world and is something that China and Britain can cooperate together.

He said the great thing about Chinese presidency for the G20 is that China is quite focused on growth, which is the heart of the meeting that he thinks is very positive.

"China is focused at the moment on green, because we all know that the older generation has not succeeded in doing so much, now we are in a hurry and we need to do more to work together to resolve the challenges we will be faced," he added.

Commenting on British government's decision to delay the construction of Hinkley Point C nuclear power station, Mountevans said the City of London wants to see this issue resolved rapidly because it is keen on partnerships with Chinese businesses.

Regarding British Prime Minister Theresa May's participation in the G20, the Lord Mayor said it is important for Britain to further ties with other G20 members after the Brexit.

"After Brexit, we are looking at strengthening our international relations. Britain is a great place for doing business, we are the No. 6 in the world for the ease of doing business. We are very international in our outlook," he said. "I think that the prime minister will be looking to build on the relationships we have in so many areas."

Mountevans said he will lead a business delegation to Hong Kong and Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin in China later this month, in a bid to strengthen Britain-China commercial ties and promote Britain as "one of the best places" to invest and do business in.

Describing China as a vital trade and investment partner for Britain, he said his visit comes at an opportune time to reassure China's government and industries that Britain remains open for business.

"I will reiterate our commitment to deepening the long-standing links between the UK and China, I will celebrate the strengths and cooperation between our nations and I will explore new ways for us to work together," he said.

As the financial and commercial heart of both Britain and Europe, the city of London is a natural partner for Chinese investors and businesses that want to expand their global presence, he said, adding, "We believe that opportunities to collaborate will continue to emerge, benefiting our own economies and wider global growth."