The British chambers of commerce in China are delighted to present the British Business in China: Position Paper 2021, representing the voices of member companies across China on the challenges and opportunities in China.
中国英国商会很高兴发布《2021年在华英国企业建议书》。本《建议书》阐述了在华经营的英国企业所面临的挑战和机遇。
 
UK-China relations have seen extraordinary shifts in the past year. Some quarters of Parliament have expressed a desire to reduce bilateral engagement. However, dialogue is crucial if we are to address our differences and harness areas of common interest.
去年，中英双边关系发生了巨大的变化。有部分英国议员主张减少双边交流。然而众所周知，对话是解决分歧和探讨合作的关键。
 
Differences may exist. Yet the prospects for UK-China trade are positive. UK-China trade reached GBP 79 billion in 2020. While this was a slight decrease on last year, it fell only 8% – far less than the drop in overall UK trade of 17% between 2019 and 2020. China continues to encourage regional decision-makers to source foreign investment from the UK.
分歧或许存在，但中英两国的贸易前景依旧令人乐观。2020年，中英两国贸易总额达到790亿英镑。虽然这与2019年相比有小幅下滑，但下降幅度只有8%，而相比之下，2019年至2020年期间，英国全球贸易总额下降了17%。而中国继续鼓励地方决策者从英国吸引外资。
 
These echo trends that the chambers have witnessed since China launched reform and opening-up. From the establishment of the British Chamber of Commerce in China in 1981 to the creation of the chapter in Shanghai in 1985 supporting British business across the entire Pearl River Delta to the chapter in Guangdong in 1996 and Southwest in 1997 to support British business across the south and west of the country. Since the early days of the 1980s the British chambers have provided a platform for the growing community of British businesses engaged in China.
自中国实施改革开放以来，英国商会一直都是中国发展趋势的见证者。1981年，中国英国商会成立，1985年，旨在支持整个珠江三角洲地区英国企业的上海英国商会成立，1996年和1997年广东英国商会和中西南英国商会先后成立，致力于为华南和西部地区的英国企业提供支持。从上世纪80年代初至今，各地英国商会为日益壮大的在华英国企业提供了一个交流的平台。
 
Over the past four decades, we have built a network that drives real change, whether it be through our advocacy work or through our other programmes. We appreciate the engagement that we have had with China’s Ministry of Commerce, UK’s Department for International Trade and other key regulatory bodies, and encourage both governments to continue working with the chamber and the business community to improve core issues.  Although some of the co-signatories of this letter will soon be stepping down as individuals, we look forward to remaining engaged and supporting the chambers as they continue to create new opportunities for members.
在过去四十年中，我们所建立的会员网络通过向政府提出倡议或其他项目，带来了切实的改变。我们非常重视与中国商务部、英国国际贸易部等主要监管部门之间的沟通，并且希望两国政府能继续与本商会以及企业界合作，解决企业面临的核心问题。虽然本《建议书》的部分联合签名人即将离任，但我们期待与两国监管部门持续沟通，继续支持商会的工作，为我们的会员企业创造新的机会。
 
As such, it is vital that UK-China travel resumes as quickly as possible in line with pandemic response measures. China’s latest census shows a sharp decline in the number of foreigners residing in Beijing and Shanghai. While the pandemic may have had a near-term impact, it is important that China remains a vibrant international hub.
因此，中英两国应该根据疫情防控措施的要求，尽快恢复两国之间的跨境旅行。中国最近的人口普查结果显示，在北京和上海居住的外国人大幅减少。虽然这一趋势在一定程度上归因于疫情的短期影响，但中国是否依旧是一个充满活力的世界经济中心，才是至关重要的。