On April 28-29, the Consulate General of China in Manchester, together with the UK National Committee on China (UKNCC) and the Manchester China Forum, held the UK-China Hydrogen Energy Cooperation Forum in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of UK-China ambassadorial diplomatic relations. The forum was co-organized by China Forum (CF) under the Center for International Security and Strategy at Tsinghua University, the People’s Government of Wuhan, the People’s Government of Hubei Province, Manchester City Council, Wuhan University of Technology (WUT) and Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU). Held in Manchester and Wuhan in a hybrid online/offline format, the event convened around 200 participants from the Chinese and British governments, academia, tech industry, businesses and media, including CF Secretary General Mr. Zhang Lirong and CF Expert Professor Shen Jianyue.

Moderated by Mr. Frank Slevin, UKNCC chair, and Mme. Zhang Xiaomei, director of the Hubei Foreign Affairs Office, the opening ceremony on April 28 was addressed by H.E. Zheng Zeguang, Chinese ambassador to the UK; Mr. Zhao Haishan, vice governor of Hubei Province; Mme. Dang Zhen, deputy mayor of Wuhan; Mr. John Edwards, HM trade commissioner for China; Kui Man Gerry Yeung OBE, deputy lieutenant of Greater Manchester; and Councilor Bev Craig, leader of Manchester City Council. The event witnessed the signing of a cooperation memorandum between Wuhan and Manchester on boosting the hydrogen energy industry, and a WUT-MMU agreement on hydrogen energy cooperation, kicking off a three-year collaboration between the two sides.

On April 29, industry leaders and scholars engaged in an extensive discussion on hydrogen energy development and cooperation. Closing remarks were delivered by Professor Zhang Qingjie, academician at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mr. Zheng Xiyuan, consul general of China in Manchester, and Mr. Gareth Hoar, British consul-general in Wuhan.