2018-2019 Annual Report
APPCG at the Great Hall of the People, Beijing
The All Party Parliamentary China Group is sponsored by: The All Party Parliamentary China Group: 2018-2019 Annual Report 1
“I have learned so much, it has been totally eye- opening and I will forever have an interest in China”
Jess Phillips MP for Birmingham Yardley
“I was most grateful for the opportunity to join the All Party visit to China earlier in the summer. I found it an incredibly interesting trip, enlightening and stimulating.
Leo Docherty MP for Aldershot
“Superb trip. Much done in 4 days. Genuinely broadened and deepened understanding. Hopefully start of long-term relationship with China ”
Jonathan Reynolds MP for Stalybridge and Hyde
October 8, 2019
The All Party Parliamentary China Group: 2018-2019 Annual Report 2
Contents
1. Foreword by Richard Graham MP Chair of the All Party Parliamentary China Group
2. APPCG Trip Reports 2018-2019
2.1 Parliamentary Delegation to Qingdao & Harbin, 27 Jul – 3 Aug 2018
2.2 Parliamentary Delegation to Beijing,
3. Events 2018-2019
4. APPCG Officers 2018-2019
5. Treasurer’s Report
6. APPCG Sponsors
October 8, 2019
The All Party Parliamentary China Group: 2018-2019 Annual Report 3
Foreword by Richard Graham MP
Although Brexit has dominated Parliament in 2018-2019, China- related matters are more important than ever before, and the APPCG’s value therefore increases. We can see this from bilateral trade between the UK and China which has more than doubled over the past 10 years to over £70bn for the first time, while nearly 400,000 Chinese tourists visited the UK (up more than 16% in one year).
As China continues to rise, issues like the US-China trade war, climate change negotiations, freedom-of-navigation rights or BRI projects affect us all. When China sneezes, the world catches a cold, as we are seeing economically. Meanwhile, the Commons held five China-related debates (and twelve including Hong Kong) this year, an increase from the previous year. We are increasingly asked to consider matters such as Huawei involvement in UK 5G telecommunications infrastructure or on the 1984 Joint Declaration on Hong Kong.
So a well-informed understanding of China is useful for those Parliamentarians whether focused on climate change, trade, technology, development, the Middle East, human rights, Africa, the Arctic or space; and whether in Government, in Opposition, or in committees. The APPCG plays a key role in informing Parliamentarians in their roles in two ways: Through a strong programme of relevant briefing events and through trips to HK and the mainland.
The APPCG held over 20 events and meetings this year on bilateral issues. We met with the British Chamber of Commerce to discuss market access barriers and the lack of reciprocity in investment openness and public procurement; we jointly held an event with the Institute of Development Studies on whether the UK could partner with China on development projects along the Belt and Road Initiative, and met with several Hong Kong government officials and barristers over the extradition law and subsequent protests.
Furthermore, we continue to host senior level briefings for parliamentarians with visits from Hong Kong’s Secretary for Justice; the Vice Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People’s Congress, Madam Fu Ying; as well as Chinese Ambassador Liu Xiaoming and Lord Mayor of London, Alderman Charles Bowman. The highlight was our very successful Chinese New Year event with the former Foreign Secretary, Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP.
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The All Party Parliamentary China Group: 2018-2019 Annual Report 4
Meanwhile, our trips allow MPs to experience firsthand the scale of growth that has taken place over the last few decades in China and some of the pressures from that. There were fewer APPCG trips this year as Parliament sat through recess to debate Brexit, two APPCG delegations to the mainland were possible (full reports from both trips are below).
Almost 100 parliamentarians with different responsibilities and roles within government, opposition or backbenches have benefited. Current FCO Minister for Asia and the Pacific, Heather Wheeler MP gained China experience from leading a delegation to Hong Kong in 2014 and; Government Whip MP for Aldershot, Leo Docherty (an alumnus of our APPCG July 2018 trip to Qingdao and Harbin) held a Westminster Hall debate on UK policy toward China. The summer trip to Hong Kong was postponed due to continuing and violent discord in the territory. I called for peaceful dialogue within the ‘one country, two systems’ framework.
Our role depends on the close help of our own Embassy and Consulates, the FCO, the British Embassy in Beijing and the British Consulate-General in Hong Kong; as well as the Chinese Embassy in London and the HKETO; and the HKSAR government and the National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China. These partnerships remain key to our understanding of China and I am grateful to you all.
Lastly, few of our events and none of our travel would be possible if not for our sponsors - Arup, Cambridge Assessment, City of London, HSBC and Swire - to whom we are immensely grateful. Thank you all very much!
Richard Graham MP Chair of the All Party Parliamentary China Group
October 8, 2019
The All Party Parliamentary China Group: 2018-2019 Annual Report 5
APPCG Trip Reports 2018-2019
2.1 Parliamentary Delegation to Qingdao & Harbin,
In July 2018, the APPCG took a delegation of 6 MPs to Qingdao in Shandong Province and Harbin in Heilongjiang province. The delegation was led by our deputy chair, Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown and joining the delegation were Leo Docherty MP, Rebecca Pow MP, Steve McCabe MP, Philip Hollobone MP and Lord Purvis of Tweed.
The delegates arrived in the economic powerhouse of Qingdao in Shandong province, which boasts some of China’s best known brands such as Hisense, Hai’er as well as Tsingtao beer. The delegation met with: Mr Song Yuanfang, Municipal National People’s Congress to discuss region-region cooperation and overcoming barriers to developing international relationships; and with senior officials from both the Qingdao West Coast New area and Qingdao’s High-Tech Industrial Development Zone to discuss ways of working together, in which culture, sport as well as marine research was highlighted. Tourism was also noted as a key area in development with the first direct flight between London and Qingdao was opened in November 2017.
Arriving only one month before the “UK Season in Shandong,” a series of high profile events organised by the British embassy, there was much excitement about regional cooperation across a range of business sectors. With a focus on regional cooperation, the delegates visited a number of UK interests in Qingdao including; Wanda’s Oriental Move Metropolis, designed and constructed with advice from Pinewood Studios; met with Jinmao Holdings who are constructing the first overseas Eden Project to Qingdao; and visited a UK company who have moved their manufacturing facility in Qingdao.
In the second half of the trip, delegates travelled to Harbin in the Heilongjiang region, a lesser travelled region with fewer developed links with the UK. The delegates met with Mr Song Xibin, Vice-Chairman of the Provincial National People’s Congress to discuss how to develop UK-Harbin cooperation in areas from tourism to technology to stopping illegal wildlife trade.
Through a visit to a food processing plant, owned by Associated British Foods, delegates deepened their understanding of China’s challenges in food security and the role of Heilongjiang in China’s sustainable food production. UK-China educational links were visible in both cities visited: The group visited newly constructed Wanda Qingdao school – sister school of Hurtwood house – a school who aspires to develop China’s next generation of creatives. Organised by Cambridge Assessment, the delegates met with students for a discussion of UK-China relations at Heilongjiang International University, who have partnerships with a number of UK universities.
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The All Party Parliamentary China Group: 2018-2019 Annual Report 6
2.2 Parliamentary Delegation to Beijing, 7-10 November
Richard Graham MP, Chair of the APPCG led a cross party delegation of MPs to Beijing between 7-10 November 2018. The delegation included two more Conservative MPs, Nigel Huddleston and David Morris; and three Labour MPs, Jonathan Reynolds, Lilian Greenwood and Jess Philips. This was the first opportunity to visit China for most.
The delegation was hosted by the National People’s Congress, the functional equivalent of Parliament in the UK, We met with their Vice Chairman, Wang Chen in the Great People’s Hall, where market access barriers and the situation in Xinjiang was raised by Richard Graham. Discussions with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs inevitably focused on US-China trade war and what role the UK could play. The UK signaled that trade barriers are bad for all of us, however some concerns raised in the US did ring true for us.
As part of the China-UK Parliamentary Exchange Mechanism that the APPCG has set up, a dialogue took place led on the Chinese side by the former Chinese Ambassador to the UK and current NPC Foreign Affairs Committee FAC, Fu Ying. Also in attendance were members of their FAC where participants had an opportunity to discuss China’s growing international role along the Belt and Road Initiative or how to tackle global challenges such as Climate Change. How to improve China’s international image abroad and its soft power was discussed further with Professors and students of international relations from Peking University.
The delegation was briefed by the UK embassy on our huge visa operation and the rise of inward bound tourism and education; on human rights and the situation in Xinjiang (which is not good, and likely to become a focal point of western concern); and on British business and the Shanghai International Import Expo. Current Trade Commissioner Richard Burn shared some examples of increased market access which the DIT team is working on, and which is important to show reciprocity with the openness of Britain to inward Chinese investment. This would also help address US concerns.
Then we looked at ways of working more closely together in this era of strategic partnership. We met with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, or AIIB, that Britain was the first western country to join to discuss co-operation on green and environmentally friendly development projects. It was also good to see what a small British NGO is doing to help with the education needs of migrant children in Beijing, with the help of volunteers for English lessons. Our engagement with China is, of course, institutional – government, parliament to NPC, business to business – but the people to people side is where trust and human relationships are developed.
October 8, 2019
The All Party Parliamentary China Group: 2018-2019 Annual Report 7
Events July 2018- July 2019
2018
27 Jul – 3 Aug – Delegation of 6 parliamentarians to Qingdao and Harbin 11 Sept – Meeting with LegCo 16 Oct – UK-China co-operation on Artificial Intelligence: Opportunities and Risks 18 Oct – Meeting with the Legislative Affairs Commission, National People’s Congress 22 Oct – Annual Hong Kong Association Dinner 24 Oct – APPCG AGM 07 Nov – 11 Nov - Delegation of 6 parliamentarians to Beijing 27 Nov – Annual Dinner with Institute of Directors 06 Dec – Meeting with Mme Fu Ying
2019
28 Jan – APPCG Chinese New Year Reception Guests of Honour: Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP and H.E. Ambassador Liu Xiaoming 14 Feb – Huawei meeting 01 Apr – APPCG drinks with H.E. Ambassador Liu Xiaoming 02 Apr – Big cats: China’s opportunity to become a conservation champion with the Environmental investigation agency 04 Apr – Meeting with Prof Wang Dong, Peking University 29 Apr – Hong Kong Six Monthly Report Briefing with the Asia Minister, Rt Hon Mark Field MP 13 May – UK business in China event with British Chamber of Commerce 14 May – Meeting on Extradition Law with Margaret Ng (HK) 21 May – Breakfast with Edward Yau, Hong Kong 22 May – China and ‘Global Britain’ – a sustainable development partnership for the future? With the Institute of Development Studies 10 June – The Future of UK-China collaboration on FinTech & Digital Skills with the Lord Mayor 24 June – Inbound Chinese Tourism with Heathrow, UKVI and VisitBritain 17 July – End Tiger Trade drop in session 22 July – Briefing on Hong Kong protests, with Hong Kong Economic Trade Office 23 July – Huawei: Should the UK be worried? with the APPG Cybersecurity
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The All Party Parliamentary China Group: 2018-2019 Annual Report 8
2018-2019 APPCG Officers
Chair: Richard Graham MP
Deputy Chairs: Lord Clement-Jones CBE Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP Catherine West MP Rt Hon Lord Steel
Treasurer: Rt Hon John Spellar MP
Secretary: Lord Cotter
Hong Kong Sub Committee Chair: Lord Wei
Vice-Chairs: Luke Graham MP – Vice Chair for Scotland David Simpson MP – Vice Chair for Northern Ireland Rt Hon David Hanson MP – Vice Chair for Wales
Nigel Evans MP – Vice Chair for Cross Strait Relations Roger Godsiff MP – Vice Chair for Energy & Natural Resources Stephen Hammond MP – Vice Chair for Financial Services: Trade & Investment Sir Mark Hendrick MP – Vice Chair Jeremy Lefroy MP – Vice Chair for Locality Partnerships Chris Leslie MP – Vice Chair for Financial Services: Regulation & Stability Angus MacNeil MP – Vice Chair Alan Mak MP – Vice Chair for Tech & Young People Baroness Northover – Vice Chair Mark Pawsey – Vice Chair Geoffrey Robinson MP – Vice Chair for Trade & Industry Julian Sturdy MP – Vice Chair for Agriculture Yvonne Fovargue MP – Vice Chair for the Consumer Economy Viscount Waverley – Vice Chair for Cyber Andrea Jenkyns – Vice Chair for Education Rebecca Pow – Vice Chair for Environment Lyn Brown – Vice Chair for Human Rights
October 8, 2019
The All Party Parliamentary China Group: 2018-2019 Annual Report 9
Treasurer’s Report as of 24 July 2018
The All Party Parliamentary China Group raised £54,500 in sponsorship in 2018-2019 after all sponsors committed to increasing their subscriptions from 2017-2018.
The APPCG spent £8,555.07 less than we raised in revenue, carrying over a total of £39,280.68 into 2019-2020.
The five core sponsors and two project sponsors have given wonderful support to the APPCG, without which none of our work would have been possible.
The accounts have been well managed and finances remain healthy.
Rt Hon John Spellar MP Treasurer 29 September 2019
Accounts (July 2018 – July 2019)
Balance brought forward from previous year £30,725.61
Total expenses £45,974.80
Total income (sponsorship and interest received) £54,529.87
Balance carried forward £39,280.68
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The All Party Parliamentary China Group: 2018-2019 Annual Report 10
APPCG Sponsors
With thanks to all our existing sponsors:
October 8, 2019