The two sessions were delayed this year from March to May due to pandemic. When the Coronavirus disrupted our community at the beginning of 2020, the government took swift and resolute measures to quickly put the situation under control, showing its edge in responding to such a crisis.
The 5,000 years of Chinese history is one marked by myriad adversities and vicissitudes but the people always came out stronger. In 2018, I witnessed what the country had achieved after 40 years of dedicated reform and opening up. In 2020, we are not only fighting against Covid-19 but also eradicating poverty. Every one of us wants to contribute, as we know that the realisation of the country’s ambition of “building a moderately prosperous society in all respects” ultimately relies on every individual’s efforts to make a better life.
I have been through the more than 40 years of Reform and Opening-up and witnessed how the market economy and businesses have blossomed in China during this period. Many overseas Chinese have devoted themselves to making contributions to their homeland over the years, and the overseas Chinese community always support their homeland in difficult times.
When the outbreak was confirmed, the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese (ACFROC) issued a written proposal for donations for the pandemic, and members of the federation were extremely resourceful in their response. The Reignwood Culture Foundation earmarked a fund for delivering supplies to the neediest places, and local Reignwood offices all acted quickly, donating beverages and providing supplies for front-line workers. Reignwood Aviation also volunteered to deliver urgent supplies to the then epicentre Wuhan.
Considering the current challenge of pandemic prevention and economic recovery, I included the following three points in my proposal to the government:
The plan of building towns into wellness retreats not only offers opportunities for the health industry but also brings together tourism, recreation, wellbeing, healthcare, and elderly care.
When Covid-19 became a global crisis, human health was not the only thing that took a hit – the global economy has felt the impact too. Now, as the conditions improve, countries have put return-to-work plans top of their agenda, to ensure they are not left behind in the economic race.
In China, we believe in a hands-on experience. As a businessman whose career spans more than 40 years – long enough to witness the transformation that the market economy brought to the country – I have always committed to the real economy where I can, in a bid to build strong businesses and contribute to society. As a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), I sometimes think about the bigger picture and as a result, feel it’s my responsibility to give back more and do more.
The hospitality and travel industry will move towards higher quality travel in the future, where people will carefully choose their holidays or business travel to ensure it is done safely and in an environmentally-aware way. As I mentioned above, travel and wellness and other types of healthcare will become increasingly intertwined.
Premier Li Keqiang stressed in his Work Report that economic recovery is China’s top priority, with important roles for China’s private sector, the role of Chinese SMEs and the importance of foreign trade and investment.
Therefore, I believe the UK-China relationship will be even stronger with both countries working hard to create jobs and upgrade bilateral trade and investment.
We are all going through a difficult time where confidence has a higher value than gold. I have great faith in China’s economic recovery, not only because I believe the government is capable of leveraging the resilience of the socialist market economy, but also because I know our people are of indomitable spirit.
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