Business leaders in the United Kingdom are eager to capitalize on the momentum generated by the UK prime minister's visit to China, and they expressed great interest in exploring opportunities in China's huge market and collaborating with Chinese partners at an annual gathering in London on Friday.

The event, the "Icebreakers" Chinese New Year celebration 2026, was hosted—as it is each year—by the 48 Group, named after a UK trade delegation of 48 businessmen known as the "Icebreakers", who traveled to Beijing in the 1950s to initiate trade ties with China, breaking a Western trade embargo at the time.

Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng sent a congratulatory message for the event, which was read out by China's ambassador to the UK, Zheng Zeguang.

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