英國駐華大使吳百納訪問重慶：在“黃金時代”打造更多“黃金成果”

□ 文/本刊記者 劉丁睿 Article/ Journalist Liu Dingrui

6月7日—8日，英國駐華大使吳百納抵達重慶，開展為期兩天的訪問，努力推動英國與重慶市在“一帶一路”和中英“黃金時代”背景下的多元化、全方位交流合作。吳百納會見了重慶市市長唐良智，就雙邊關系、經貿和文化交流等領域進一步深入交談。

唐良智表示，“近年來，重慶與英國商務交往頻繁，英國是重慶三大國際貿易伙伴之一，也一直是中國企業投資歐洲的熱門目的國。”2016年，重慶與英國雙邊進出口總額達到55.8億元人民幣，同比增長2.1%。其中，重慶從英國進口同比增長12.4%。截至2016年底，共有83家來自英國制造、房地產和信息通信技術等行業的企業選擇落戶重慶，實際利用外資達到25.2億美元。

根據英國旅游局和英國簽證移民局的最新統計數據，2017年1月到9月，中國赴英游客數量同比增加33%。2017年，英國為中國公民共發放65.5萬份簽證，同比增長13%，簽證通過率高達98%。其中，學生簽證為8.8萬份，同比增長15%。位于成都和重慶的英國簽證申請中心去年共接到36000份來自西南地區的英國簽證申請，同比增長5%。

“英國國際貿易部已經啟動了新的中國區域貿易計劃，促進更廣泛和更深入的中英雙向投資伙伴關系，執行一貫的貿易政策，以獲得更多的市場準入、規避商業風險、為未來貿易訂單做準備”，吳百納強調，“我們鼓勵和支持西南地區企業考慮將英國作為投資目的國，我們也為落戶中國西南地區的英國企業提供支持。”

7日晚，英國駐重慶總領事館在重慶麗晶酒店舉辦“伊麗莎白女王生日慶典”招待會，重慶市政府副市長潘毅琴、英國駐華大使吳百納、英國駐重慶總領事艾佩詩、市政府外事僑務辦副主任唐文出席。

這是吳百納第三次訪問重慶。“中英關系得到了進一步加強。正如首相特蕾莎·梅早前訪問中國時提到，中英‘黃金時代’進入新的階段，我很高興能到西南地區來傳達這一信息。”吳百納表示，英國駐重慶總領事館正積極支持重慶實施大數據和智能戰略，努力吸引更多高科技企業落戶重慶，并與兩江新區等本地伙伴合作，希望在教育和醫療衛生等方面有所作為。

“中英關系已進入‘黃金時代’深入發展時期，我們面臨著更多的‘黃金機遇。”重慶副市長潘毅琴在慶典致辭中說，“英國是重慶在歐洲地區重要的合作伙伴之一，希望雙方繼續共同努力，加強在地方友好、文化旅游、清潔能源、金融服務、醫療養老等傳統領域合作，并拓展大數據、人工智能、智慧城市等新興領域合作，為中英關系‘黃金時代’打造更多‘黃金成果’。”

在慶典上，吳百納和潘毅琴見證了英國駐重慶總領事館與重慶市商務委員會工作備忘錄的簽署。雙方同意建立更有效的溝通機制，定期分享商務信息，幫助重慶和英國企業發現更多貿易和投資機會。

活動現場，重慶文物保護志愿者向英國駐重慶總領事館贈送了“重慶記憶老照片”“鋼筆畫下的老重慶”，以及《老重慶記憶路書》。讓國外友人感受到重慶經典的文化魅力，加深對重慶歷史文化的理解。

圖片/市政府外事僑務辦、英國駐重慶總領事館提供

From June 7th to 8th, British Ambassador to China Barbara Woodward carried out a two-day visit in Chongqing, with an effort to promote all-round and diversified exchange and cooperation between Britain and Chongqing under the background of "the Belt and Road" and "the Golden Era". During the two-day visit,Barbara Woodward met with Mayor of Chongqing, Tang Liangzhi, to further the negotiation in the fields of bilateral relations, economy, trade and cultural exchanges.

英國駐重慶總領事館舉辦“伊麗莎白女王生日慶典”招待會。

Tang Liangzhi said:“In recent years, Chongqing and Britain have had frequent business contacts. Britain is one of the three major international trading partners of Chongqing, as well as a popular European country for Chinese enterprises to invest.” In 2016, the total import and export volume of Chongqing and Britain reached 5.58 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 2.1%. And Chongqing's imports from Britain reached a year-on-year increase of 12.4%. By the end of 2016, 83 enterprises from Britain’s industries such as manufacturing, real estate and ICT had settled in Chongqing, and foreign capital actually utilized had reached US$ 2.52 billion.

① 英國駐華大使吳百納致辭。

According to the latest statistics from VisitBritain and UK Visas and Immigration, the number of Chinese tourists to Britain had a year-on-year increase of 36.3%. In 2017, Britain issued 655,000 visas for Chinese citizens, a year-on-year increase of 13%, and the visa pass rate was as high as 98%.Among them, student visas were 88,000, a 15%increase over the same period last year. In 2017,the UK Visa Application Centers in Chengdu and Chongqing received 36,000 visa applications from China’s Southwest, up 5%year-on-year.

② 英國駐重慶總領事館與重慶市商務委員會簽署工作備忘錄。

Barbara Woodward mentioned that the UK's Department for International Trade has launched a new regional trade plan in China to promote wider and deeper bilateral investment partnerships and to implement consistent trade policies to gain more market access, avoid business risks and prepare for future trade orders. She also stressed that enterprises in China’s Southwest were encouraged and supported to invest in Britain,and those Britain enterprises settled in China’s Southwest would also acquire support.

On the evening of June 7th, the British Consulate-General in Chongqing held the Reception for Celebrating Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s Birthday in a hotel called Regent Chongqing.Deputy Mayor of Chongqing-Pan Yiqin, British Ambassador to China-Barbara Woodward, British Consul General in Chongqing-Cecille El Beleidi and Deputy Director of Foreign and Overseas Chinese Affairs of Chongqing Municipal People’s Government-Tang Wen attended the Reception.

重慶市文物保護志愿者向英國駐重慶總領事館贈送“鋼筆畫下的老重慶”。

This was Barbara Woodward’s third visit to Chongqing. She said, “As Prime Minister Theresa May mentioned in her earlier visit in China, relations between China and Britain have been strengthened. And I am pleasant to convey the message that China and Britain’s relations in “the Golden Era” have entered into a new stage. The British Consulate-General in Chongqing is actively supporting Chongqing to implement big data strategy and intelligence strategy, strive to attract more high-tech enterprises to settle in Chongqing and help them cooperate with local enterprises in Liangjiang New Area, and make achievements in education and medical services.”

As Deputy Mayor of Chongqing Pan Yiqin delivered in the celebration speech, “There are more “Golden Opportunities”when China-UK relations have entered a period of deepening development in this “Golden Era”. As one of Chongqing's important partners in Europe, I hope Britain will continue to cooperate with Chongqing in areas such as cultural tourism,clean energy, financial services, medical care, and to expand cooperation in big data, artificial intelligence, smart cities and other emerging fields. Through cooperation, more “Golden Fruits”will bear in this “Golden Era”.”

At the Celebration, Barbara Woodward and Pan Yiqin witnessed the signing of working memorandum of the British Consulate-General in Chongqing and Chongqing Municipal Commission of Commerce. The two sides agreed to establish a more effective communication mechanism, regularly share business information, and help Chongqing and British companies fi nd more trade and investment opportunities.

At the Queen’s Birthday Celebration, volunteers of cultural relics preservation in Chongqing presented “Old Photos with Chongqing Memory”, “Pen and Ink Drawing-Old Chongqing”andThirty-nine Routes to Learn About Chongqing’s History and Cultureto the British Consulate-General in Chongqing as gifts.Through these photos, drawings and books, foreign friends experienced the charm of Chongqing’s classic culture, and they also had deeper understanding of Chongqing's historical culture.

Picture / Foreign and Overseas Chinese Affairs of Chongqing Municipal

People’s Governmentthe British Consulate-General in Chongqing