The Lord Mayor of London Peter Estlin is in China from 18 to 23 March 2019 to promote links with the UK in fintech, green finance and the Belt and Road Initiative.

Lord Mayor of London leads fintech delegation to China to promote trade and investment (Photo by Tianxing Bai)

The Lord Mayor, in his role as an ambassador for the UK’s financial and professional services, will meet senior members of the Chinese government and business leaders during his visit. The six-day visit will see him travel to Shenzhen, Shanghai and Beijing accompanied by a delegation of 13 innovative fintech firms headed by John McLean OBE, a board member of the China Britain Business Council (CBBC). In each of the three cities, a fintech forum will be held with government and industry leaders, with the aim of boosting city-to-city links in the sector. These events will see the Lord Mayor speak alongside senior Chinese business figures, and will also provide the opportunity for members of the delegation to pitch to potential investors.

The Lord Mayor will meet with senior figures of the Shenzhen and Shanghai governments, both of which have longstanding cooperation agreements with the City of London Corporation, to discuss how both sides can further strengthen relationships in areas including fintech, asset management and capital markets.

In Beijing, a major announcement is expected on green finance, following nearly two years of cooperation between the City of London Corporation’s Green Finance Initiative and China’s Green Finance Committee.

During the visit, the Lord Mayor will also promote innovation and technology, champion digital skills and address digital and social inclusion as part of his “Shaping Tomorrow’s City Today” programme.

Speaking ahead of his trip, The Lord Mayor of London Peter Estlin said, “Seventy years on from the founding of the People’s Republic of China, ties between our two countries have gone from strength to strength, with bilateral trade now worth nearly £70 billion.

“As China continues to expand and open up its economy, the City of London and more broadly the UK continues to play an important part in the country’s success story.

“I look forward to helping build on these solid foundations during my visit, and to strengthening ties in areas including fintech and green finance,” he added.