LONDON, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The 8th China-UK Economic and Trade Forum was held in London on Wednesday, bringing together around 350 representatives from government, business, finance and academia to explore new opportunities for bilateral cooperation amid a changing global landscape.

Held at Merchant Taylors' Hall under the theme "United in Momentum, Deepening Collaboration for a Shared Future," the forum was hosted by the China Chamber of Commerce in the UK (CCCUK), with support from the Chinese Embassy in the UK and the UK Department for Business and Trade, alongside several leading British institutions.

The event came against the backdrop of renewed high-level engagement between China and the UK, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's visit to China earlier this year, as well as fresh policy signals from China's "Two Sessions" and the rollout of the 15th Five-Year Plan.

Opening the forum, Fang Wenjian, chairman of CCCUK, said the event has become a key platform for dialogue between the two countries' business communities, stressing the need to translate momentum into concrete cooperation.

"We are bridges between the countries," he said. "It is our mission to ensure that this bridge remains solid and strong."

In his keynote address, Chinese Ambassador to the UK Zheng Zeguang said business communities in both countries have long served as a driving force in advancing bilateral relations while calling for greater efforts to translate leaders' consensus into tangible outcomes.

He said China's new development blueprint will bring fresh opportunities for global partners and inject new momentum into China-UK cooperation.

"The rising turbulence of the world makes it all the more important for China and the UK to strengthen cooperation," he said. "We should not shy away from difficulty when doing the right thing, but instead charge ahead."

Speaking on behalf of the UK government, Economic Secretary to the Treasury Lucy Rigby stressed the importance of maintaining a stable and constructive economic relationship with China.

She said China remains a key contributor to global growth and an important partner for the UK, adding that sustained dialogue helps provide greater certainty for businesses.

She also highlighted the role of practical cooperation, particularly in areas such as financial services, in supporting growth, innovation and job creation in both countries.

In her remarks, the Lady Mayor of the City of London, Alderwoman Dame Susan Langley, highlighted London's long-standing role as a global hub for trade and finance, noting that China-UK economic ties have deep historical roots and continue to evolve.

"Strengthening cooperation between our two countries is not only beneficial to both sides, but also contributes to greater stability and resilience of the global economy," she said.

The forum also featured two panel discussions focusing on new opportunities arising from China's development of "new quality productive forces" and on practical cooperation in areas such as advanced manufacturing, green transition and global market expansion.