On 28 April 2022, the first China-UK Hydrogen Energy Cooperation Forum was held in Manchester, marking and celebrating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and UK at ambassadorial level. It was organised by the Chinese Consulate General in Manchester, the UK National Committee on China(UKNCC), and the Manchester China Forum(MCF), and hosted by Wuhan University of Technology(WUT), Manchester Metropolitan University(Manchester Met), with the joint effort and participation from Foreign Affairs Office of Hubei Provincial People's Government, Foreign Affairs Office of Wuhan Municipal People’s Government, Centre for International Strategy & Security, China Forum, Tsinghua University, and British Consulate General in Wuhan. Frank Slevin, Chair of UKNCC and Zhang Xiaomei, Director General of Hubei Foreign Office co-chaired the event via video link, and Zheng Zeguang, Chinese Ambassador to the UK, Zheng Xiyuan, Consul-General of China in Manchester, Zhao Haishan, Vice Governor of Hubei Province, Dang Zhen, Vice Mayor of Wuhuan, Prof Yang Zongkai, President of WUT, Fang Wenjian, General Manager of Bank of China London Branch, John Edwards, British Trade Commissioner to China, Gareth Hoar, British Consul General in Wuhan, Kui Man Gerry Yeung, Deputy Lord-Lieutenant of Greater Manchester, Councillor Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, David Percival MBE, Chair of MCF, Counsellor Chen Wei, Consul Li Fanghui, Dr Liu Li, Consul, Consul Ren Yu and others attended the ceremony.
In his keynote speech, Ambassador Zheng said that the timely event is an important action for the leaders of both countries to implement cooperation on strengthening green development, and a practical initiative for cooperation between Wuhan and Manchester, which is of great significance to release fresh vitality from a new starting point and to tackle global climate change. With comparative advantages, strong desire and great potential in hydrogen energy, China and UK will become partners to support each other through practical cooperation in various fields such as green hydrogen energy and promote bilateral relations on the right track of dialogue and cooperation, to bring more benefit to both peoples and make further contributions to addressing climate change.
Consul General Zheng said that the friendship between Wuhan, the birthplace of modern Chinese industry and Manchester, the cradle of British industry, is fundamental to the forum, which aims to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries on strengthening new energy cooperation and the instruction given by President Xi Jinping during his visit to Manchester in 2015, hoping the city take a leading role in China-UK relations and a navigator in the cooperation between the two countries. Both playing an important role in their economic development, the cities should further unlock the potential to create opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation and contribute to the green-oriented transition of energy.
Deputy Lord-Lieutenant Gerry Yeung was excited by the joint efforts of the two cities, and Manchester Met and WUT, to launch the forum about friendship, cooperation, innovation and pioneering. British Trade Commissioner John Edwards pointed out that working together in hydrogen energy will bring great value to both countries, and hope to see further collaboration in production, storage and transport. Councillor Bev Craig said that she expects the event can open a bilateral dialogue between the two cities to accelerate hydrogen energy development of both countries and tackle global warming together.
Vice Governor Zhao and Vice Mayor Dang each shared information on hydrogen energy development in China and in Wuhan and expressed their willingness to join hands with Manchester to promote various exchanges in the field, leveraging on comparative advantages and achieving win-win cooperation. Prof Yang Zongkai and other research institutes and enterprises also showed the interest in working together with their British counterparts to promote China-UK hydrogen energy cooperation, thereby serving the national new energy development strategy and achieving carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals.
At the opening ceremony of the two-day event attended by 500 people online and in person, Wuhan and Manchester signed a memorandum of understanding on hydrogen energy industry exchange and cooperation, and WUT and Manchester Met signed a letter of intent on hydrogen energy cooperation. Day 2 programme was held by the two universities via video link, with representatives from relevant government departments, academia, science and technology, and businesses engaging
The event was covered by the People's Daily, Xinhua News Agency, China Central Television and China Daily.
