The 15th World Chinese Entrepreneurs Convention (WCEC) will be launched by the Chinese Business Association in London later this month. 

It will take place at ExCel, London from the 21st to the 24th of October. As the first year that the WCEC will be held at a venue in Europe, it is expected to attract a large number of Chinese guests and significant attention.

The event aims to promote and nurture positive business relationships between the UK and China. The Chinese Ambassador to the UK, Liu Xiaoming will be attending the event alongside leaders from British businesses and the government. 

Mr Liu Xiaoming described current relations between the UK and China as ‘a golden age.’ He added, “Our economic contributions are certain to result in opportunities and prosperity for Chinese businessmen and British and European companies around the world.”

The WCEC takes place biannually and represents the interests of more than 60 million Chinese citizens. The theme of this year’s conference is ‘Reaching to the World for Mutual Prosperity - New Opportunities with World Chinese Entrepreneurs.’ In alignment with the overarching theme, sub-forums will explore topics including ‘China’s Belt and Road Initiative,’ ‘Looking Back Over the Last Century,’ 'Industrial Revolution 4.0’, ‘Chinese Business Leadership’ and ‘Investing in the UK.’ Guest speakers will discuss women and leadership, international education, and ways to optimise health.

Also in attendance will be Sir John Peace, Chair of the Midland Engine and also Chair of the WCEC steering Committee, James Harding, Founder of Tortoise Media, who will be moderating the main discussion during the morning of the WCEC on the theme of Reaching to the World for Mutual Prosperity, with panellists including Sir Martin Sorrell, Executive Chairman of S4 Capital and Lord Green, Chairman of Asia House.

More than 2,500 business leaders from China and investors from the 60 countries are expected to land in London and attend the conference, where they will meet with more than 500 UK entrepreneurs. To date, the UK has already benefitted from approximately ￡5.43 billion in Chinese investment.

Zhang Jinlong, Chairman of the WCEC’s Organizing Committee and the Chinese Chamber of Commerce, said that the strong relationship between China and Britain in the economic and financial sectors has become “a very important link in the process of opening up China's capital market,” particularly since London, the financial capital of the UK, is “at the forefront in the fields of high technology, medical care and innovation.”

Yang Tengbo, Executive Chairman of the WCEC and chairman of Hampoo Group, pointed out that in light of Brexit, the conference will provide British companies with an opportunity to collaborate with China and foster positive relationships with communities world-wide.

Organisers of the conference include the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce, the Hong Kong Chinese Chamber of Commerce and the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Thailand.