Key Takeaways:
- Stephen Perry of Britain’s 48 Group says China focuses on building access and networks rather than closing markets, boosting global trade.
- The Belt and Road Initiative and new rail and road corridors have expanded trade between China, Europe and the Global South.
- China trade and innovation are reshaping education, technology investment and joint ventures that can ease disputes over advanced industries.
- Perry urges shared business models and reduced tariffs to encourage long-term investment and integrated supply chains.
China is building corridors of commerce rather than walls of protection, according to Stephen Perry, president emeritus of Britain’s 48 Group. In an interview with Xinhua, Perry argued that China’s emphasis on connectivity and market access has altered trade patterns and created opportunities for wider international participation.
China trade and innovation reshape global links
Perry said the Belt and Road Initiative and China’s investment in rail and road networks have opened routes once considered impractical, linking Asia, Africa, South America and Europe in new ways. He noted that such infrastructure development has helped regions long shaped by colonial transport systems to trade with one another, rather than simply moving resources to ports.
“China has helped those continents develop transport systems that enabled them to do business with each other,” Perry told Xinhua. He described the effect as a practical expansion of market access that benefits both local economies and global partners.
At the start of China’s outward-facing policies, trade flows were concentrated on North America and Europe. Perry said that has shifted as China increased engagement with the Global South, creating diversified trading relationships that support growth beyond traditional partners.
On innovation, Perry emphasised that China is positioning itself for long-term technological leadership by restructuring higher education and directing more university study towards emerging technologies. He suggested this prepares a workforce for future industries in robotics, artificial intelligence and other advanced sectors.
To manage tensions over sectors such as electric vehicles and other advanced technologies, Perry recommended joint ventures and shared ownership models between Chinese and European firms. He argued that cooperation, rather than confrontation, can ease disputes and distribute the benefits of innovation more widely.
“Tariffs and trade barriers discourage long-term investment and disrupt supply chains,” Perry said, warning that protectionist measures act as barriers to progress. He encouraged European companies to adapt their business models, cautioning that attempts to dominate markets in Asia or Africa would prompt resistance.
The 48 Group is now focusing on technology, robotics and artificial intelligence, facilitating entry for UK firms into China while also encouraging Chinese companies to invest or operate in Britain. Perry said the organisation’s aim is mutual opportunity rather than unilateral advantage.
He also rejected the notion that China’s global reach is driven by military expansion, noting the country does not pursue power through force but through development and trade. “China is not pointing missiles all over the world,” Perry said, adding that China’s growth is tied to its role in supporting global development.
Looking ahead, Perry said younger generations across countries are increasingly inclined to travel, work and engage internationally — a trend that supports further integration. He summed up the next phase of Britain–China economic relations as one built on cooperation, shared business models and sustained innovation.
