When British charm meets the vibrant life of Southwest China, when the industrial pulse of the UK collides with the innovative energy of Sichuan and Chongqing, a new chapter in local cooperation between China and the UK unfolds! From March 19th to 21st, a delegation of British mayors visited Chongqing and Chengdu in succession. The two cities showcased the open-mindedness and collaborative enthusiasm of Southwest China to the British guests through high-profile receptions, in-depth dialogues, and stunning cultural displays.
当英伦风韵遇见巴渝烟火，当英国的工业脉搏碰撞川渝的创新活力，中英地方合作再谱新篇！3月19日至21日，英国市长代表团接连到访重庆与成都，两地以高规格酒会、深层次对话和惊艳的文化展示，向英方嘉宾展现了中国西南的开放胸怀与合作热忱。
01. 重庆 Chongqing
On the evening of March 19th, Welcome Reception for The British Mayoral Delegation to Chongqing was held at the InterContinental Chongqing Raffles City to honor the visiting delegation of British mayors. Government representatives, business leaders, and heads of cultural institutions from both China and the UK gathered in the Mountain City to engage in dialogues on economic cooperation and cultural exchange.
3月19日晚，英国市长代表团访渝欢迎酒会在重庆来福士洲际酒店隆重举行，来自中英双方的政府代表、商界领袖及文化机构负责人齐聚山城，围绕经贸合作与文化交流展开对话。
Sam Pu, General Manager of British Chamber of Commerce Southwest China, kicked off the event with an outlook on the prospects of China-UK economic and trade cooperation. This was followed by welcome speeches from Matt Ryan, Vice Chairman of British Chamber of Commerce Southwest China; Anthony Preston, British Consul General in Chongqing; and Nadine Peatfield, Deputy Mayor of the East Midlands.
中国西南英国商会总经理Sam Pu以中英经贸合作前景展望拉开活动序幕。随后，中国西南英国商会副主席Matt Ryan、英国驻重庆总领事Anthony Preseton以及东米德兰兹副市长Nadine Peatfield进行了欢迎致辞。
In his remarks, Matt Ryan stated that as a long-standing British business representative rooted in Southwest China, he remains firmly convinced that China continues to offer abundant development opportunities. Although both China and the UK face their respective challenges, he emphasized the vast potential for bilateral cooperation. He expressed hope that the delegation would gain firsthand insights into the Chinese market through this visit and jointly explore new opportunities for China-UK economic and trade collaboration.
Matt Ryan在发言中表示，作为长期扎根中国西南的英商代表，他始终坚信中国仍充满发展机遇，虽然中英两国都面临各自挑战，但双方合作潜力巨大，他期待代表团通过此次实地考察获得对中国市场的真知灼见，共同开拓中英经贸新机遇。
Anthony Preston noted his delight in hosting the delegation of British mayors at a time when UK-China relations are embracing new opportunities. He looked forward to translating high-level consensus between the two countries into tangible outcomes at the local level. He also extended a warm invitation for all sectors to participate in the celebrations and future-oriented discussions marking the 25th anniversary of the British Consulate General in Chongqing.
Anthony Preseton表示，很高兴在英中关系迎来新机遇之际接待英国市长代表团，他期待将两国高层共识转化为地方合作实效，并诚邀各界共同参与英国驻渝总领馆成立25周年的庆祝与未来展望。
Nadine Peatfield mentioned that her visit to China had given her a profound appreciation of the complementary strengths between Chongqing and the East Midlands in industries such as automotive manufacturing, logistics, and textiles. She expressed eagerness to transform the deep historical ties between the two regions into innovation-driven practical cooperation, jointly opening a new chapter in local economic and trade collaboration between China and the UK.
Nadine Peatfield提到，此次访华让她深刻体会到重庆与东米德兰兹在汽车制造、物流纺织等产业的互补优势，期待将两地深厚的历史渊源转化为创新驱动的务实合作，共同开拓中英地方经贸合作新篇章。
02 成都 Chengdu
On the evening of March 21st, Chengdu took over the itinerary of the British mayors’ delegation by hosting the Welcome Reception for The British Mayoral Delegation to Chengdu at the InterContinental Century City Chengdu. Representatives from Chinese and British political and business circles continued to chart a blueprint for cooperation in the city of Chengdu.
3月21日晚，成都接棒英国市长代表团访问行程，在成都世纪城天堂洲际大饭店举办了英国市长代表团访蓉欢迎酒会，中英政商界代表在蓉城继续共绘合作蓝图。
Before the event officially began, a specially invited Sichuan opera face-changing artist delivered a breathtaking performance, infusing the banquet with rich cultural ambiance through this intangible cultural heritage masterpiece from the Ba-Shu region. The spectacular showcase drew continuous exclamations of wonder from all the Chinese and British guests present.
活动开场前，特邀川剧变脸艺术家带来精彩表演，以巴蜀非遗绝技为晚宴注入浓郁文化氛围，引得在场中英嘉宾连连惊叹。
Sam Pu, General Manager of the British Chamber of Commerce Southwest China, once again served as the host, continuing his insightful macroeconomic analysis of bilateral trade cooperation. This was followed by welcoming addresses from Paul Sives, Chairman of the British Chamber of Commerce Southwest China; Tim Standbrook, Deputy Consul General of British Consulate General Chongqing; and Oliver Coppard, Mayor of South Yorkshire.
中国西南英国商会总经理Sam Pu再次担纲主持，延续对双边经贸合作的宏观阐释。之后，中国西南英国商会主席Paul Sives、英国驻重庆副总领事Tim Standbrook以及南约克郡市长Oliver Coppard进行了欢迎致辞。
Paul Sives stated that having served as an economic and trade bridge in Southwest China for over twenty years, they remain steadfast in their commitment to fostering mutually beneficial cooperation between Chinese and British enterprises. He expressed their anticipation to further deepen practical collaboration between the two nations in areas such as industrial innovation and cultural preservation through this exchange event.
Paul Sives在发言中表示，作为深耕西南地区二十余载的经贸桥梁，他始终致力于促进中英企业合作共赢，期待通过此次交流活动进一步深化两国在产业创新与文化传承等领域的务实合作。
Both Tim Standbrook and Oliver Coppard delivered speeches focusing on strengthening subnational cooperation between China and the UK, as well as promoting industrial synergy and development.
Tim Standbrook和Oliver Coppard则围绕深化中英地方合作、产业协同发展等议题发表了讲话。
From the riverbanks of Chongqing to the heartland of Chengdu, this thousand-mile “twin-city dialogue” has not only demonstrated the vibrant potential of China-UK subnational cooperation but has also infused new momentum into bilateral economic ties through cultural exchange and industrial collaboration. Much like the mesmerizing transformations of Sichuan face-changing opera, Sino-UK cooperation continues to reinvent itself while honoring tradition. We look forward to transforming today’s shared vision into tomorrow’s fruitful achievements through joint efforts with our British partners, co-authoring a future of mutual success through reciprocal commitment!
从重庆两江之畔到成都天府之国，这场跨越千里的“双城对话”不仅彰显了中英地方合作的蓬勃生机，更以文化为媒、产业为桥，为两国经贸关系注入了新动能。正如川剧变脸中瞬息万变的精彩，中英合作亦在传承与创新中不断焕发新颜。期待两地与英国伙伴携手，将今日共识转化为明日硕果，共同书写“双向奔赴”的共赢未来！
We sincerely thank all participants of the reception. Special thanks go to the British Consulate General in Chongqing for their collaboration, as well as to the InterContinental Chongqing Raffles City and the InterContinental Century City Chengdu for their strong support of this event.
我们衷心感谢酒会所有参与者。特别感谢英国驻重庆领事馆的合作，以及重庆来福士洲际酒店和成都世纪城天堂洲际大饭店对本次活动的大力支持。
