China-Britain Business Council Chair Sherard Cowper-Coles has praised China's development in the past 75 years as "without parallel in human history," expressing hope that the United Kingdom (UK) could share in the Chinese modernization.

The two countries enjoy huge potentials for cooperation, Cowper-Coles told Xinhua in an interview during a reception celebrating the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

"I hope we can be part of the Chinese modernization, and I hope the world can share in it," Cowper-Coles said.

China, one of the greatest civilizations in human history, has achieved remarkable progress not only for its own people but also globally, he said.

The UK is China's third largest trading partner, its second largest investment destination, and the third largest source of foreign investment in Europe, while China is the UK's largest trading partner in Asia. According to Chinese official data, annual bilateral trade exceeded 100 billion U.S. dollars in 2022, with two-way investment stock nearing 51 billion dollars by the end of 2022.

Cowper-Coles stressed that he does not believe in the de-globalization, decoupling, or de-risking narratives touted by some Western politicians.

"I think we de-risk by engaging with each other, by exchanging goods and services and ideas. We're proud to welcome ... Chinese students here, a lot of Chinese investment, and a lot of Chinese goods including now Chinese electric vehicles (EVs)," he said.

The business leader, who led a UK delegation to China in May, praised China's efforts to promote high-end, intelligent, and high-quality development, expressing hope that British businesses can be part of that story. "China is moving to a greater technological input ... It's a story we want to be part of, in life sciences, in advanced manufacturing, using AI... It's the way of the future."

Cowper-Coles stressed that China and the UK "should and must have" a shared future. "We must work together."

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