Interview: 6th CIIE sets scene for 2024, says British business leader

LONDON, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- The ongoing 6th China International Import Expo (CIIE) is a sign of growth and development, and sets the scene for 2024, said John McLean, chairman of the UK-China Business Development Center.

"By creating milestones or focal points, companies can use the expo to launch new products, re-energize their brands, introduce themselves to the Chinese market and gain an overall understanding of the current dynamics and growth potential of the Chinese market," said McLean.

The 6th CIIE is being held in Shanghai on Nov. 5-10. One of its roadshows held in London in May attracted many representatives from British business associations and enterprises.

The 6th CIIE is "a signal of growth, a signal of development, and a signal for what is next year going to be like ... Anything that creates positivity is a plus," said McLean in an interview with Xinhua at a London event promoting the charm of the culture and tourism of China's southwestern Sichuan Province.

He introduced his development center during a speech as Britain's leading professional service network committed to promoting cooperation with China in trade and investment, technology and innovation, education and training.

McLean told the audience that he visited eight Chinese cities in July, including Beijing, Hangzhou and Shanghai, where he discussed "numerous opportunities for more Britain-China collaboration."

"Additionally, over the last six months, I've hosted nearly 40 delegations to Britain from all across China," he noted. "Both my business trip and hosting these delegations have reinforced my belief in the bright prospects which exist between our two countries, and more importantly, (in) the opportunity for our bilateral trade to grow."

China's gross domestic product expanded 4.9 percent year on year in the third quarter, according to China's National Bureau of Statistics.

Commenting on the newly released data, McLean, who has visited China nearly a hundred times since 1999, said that it is a positive sign.

"If you look at the trend line, the expectation ... is positive because China is part of the engine room of the world," he told Xinhua. "If China slows down, the world slows down. If China speeds up, the world speeds up."

"Yes, China has its challenges, but every country has its challenges," he said, stressing that China's Q3 data is "reassuring and reaffirming" for those who were slightly uncertain about China's economy at the start of the year.

"The development and growth shows that the engine room is starting to perform and there is momentum," he added. "That creates confidence."