London, UK, 17/04/2026
The 48 Group, represented by its Chairman, Jack Perry, participated in the 2026 China Development Forum Annual Conference along with leading fortune 500 companies, senior policymakers, and top academics across the globe, held on 22–23 March at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing.
As a long-standing advocate for constructive and mutually beneficial UK–China economic engagement, The 48 Group reaffirmed its mission to create meaningful commercial opportunities for UK businesses, support the UK’s growth agenda, and strengthen connections between the UK’s innovation ecosystem and China’s vast and evolving consumer and industrial markets.
During a closed-door policy roundtable with Mr Lu Hao, Director of the Development Research Centre of the State Council, Jack Perry encouraged deeper engagement between Chinese policymakers, businesses, and the UK’s key areas of strength, including the creative industries, energy technology, and research and innovation. He highlighted the significant value that UK expertise and experience can bring to the Chinese market, while also encouraging Chinese enterprises to increase investment into the UK as a gateway for global expansion.
The 48 Group outlined a clear strategic framework for future collaboration, focused on driving sustainable growth and long-term value creation for UK businesses. It also emphasised the importance of long-term thinking in the globalisation of Chinese firms particularly in the technology sector and the need to align with UK governance,
The complementary strengths of the UK and China - combining the UK’s global leadership in finance, research excellence, and governance framework with China’s scale in technological development and industrial deployment were identified as a strong foundation for enduring and impactful cooperation.
The 48 Group’s participation in the China Development Forum ensures continued access to first-hand market and policy insights, enabling the organisation and corporations to translate these into strategic intelligence for UK policymakers and business leaders as they position for future growth.
The China Development Forum remains one of the most high-level platforms through which The 48 Group delivers on its mission to build long-term, mutually beneficial relationships between the United Kingdom and China.
For further information on engaging with the China Development Forum in 2027, or to explore opportunities for collaboration with The 48 Group, please contact:
Stephanie Affleck
Director of Operations, The 48 Group
stephanie.a@48group.co.uk
