英國威爾士議會政府經濟部長首訪重慶希望與重慶在汽車、航空、文創等領域合作

□文、圖/本刊記者 熊怡

英國威爾士議會政府經濟部長首訪重慶希望與重慶在汽車、航空、文創等領域合作

□文、圖/本刊記者 熊怡

“重慶近年來發展迅猛，在汽車、旅游、信息產業等領域取得了重大進展，這些也是威爾士的重點發展產業。”2月20日，英國威爾士議會政府經濟和基礎設施內閣部長肯·斯蓋茨（Ken Skates）首次到訪重慶，并出席第十一屆重慶威爾士周相關活動。肯·斯蓋茨在接受媒體訪問時表示，重慶和威爾士建立友好關系已經11年，希望進一步增進威爾士與重慶在經貿領域的深度合作，深化彼此的信任和理解，助推雙方工商界的合作與交流，推動雙方經貿信息更加積極有效的互通。

肯·斯蓋茨介紹，威爾士是英國一個擁有獨立議會和政府、高度自治的重要地區，是重慶市在英國的重要地方友好合作伙伴，交往關系密切。近十年來，重慶與威爾士地區在教育、衛生、科技、低碳、文化藝術等領域進行了深入友好交流與合作，并已成功舉辦了十屆重慶威爾士周活動。

“威爾士和中國的友誼持續升溫，我們駐重慶、北京、上海的辦公室也與當地政府建立了緊密的友好合作關系，我們還希望借助中國中央政府和中國駐倫敦大使館將這一關系推上一個更高的臺階。”肯·斯蓋茨表示，近年來，威爾士和中國的貿易合作日益緊密。中國投資者也越來越關注威爾士的投資環境。繼英國脫歐以后，威爾士更加重視和中國友好關系。目前，有超過4500名中國留學生在威爾士學習，威爾士已落成3所孔子學院，分別在卡迪夫、班戈、蘭彼得。“威爾士具有開放的商務環境。在汽車、旅游、信息產業等領域有著良好的發展態勢。此外，威爾士的創意產業僅次于倫敦位居英國第二。”肯·斯蓋茨說。

“我認為，兩個城市或地區之間應遵從‘先交朋友，再做生意’的原則。”肯·斯蓋茨認為，重慶作為中國西部地區唯一的中央直轄市，近年來經濟發展令人矚目，重慶和威爾士建立友好關系11年來，也讓兩地在文化、社會和經濟等領域合作交流密切。他特別提出，希望威爾士在汽車制造、航空航天、數碼電子、文化創意等領域與重慶開展合作項目。

肯·斯蓋茨此行與重慶市政府有關領導、重慶市商務委員會、重慶市文化委員會，以及重慶市體育局等部門領導舉行一系列重要會議，還會見了有前往英國、特別是威爾士投資意向的中國工商界精英。

英國威爾士經濟和基礎設施內閣部長肯·斯蓋茨。

2月20日上午，肯·斯蓋茨部長一行與重慶市體育局舉行討論會，確定即將開展重慶與威爾士青少年足球培訓項目。“威爾士有得到國際足聯認可的標準訓練方式，可提供給重慶球員學習借鑒。”據他透露，該項目旨在為重慶地區職業和業余青年足球運動員提供威爾士豐富的足球資源，并通過兩地的足球運動員互訪，進行學習交流和培訓。

“這是我第一次來到重慶，我感受到了重慶人民的熱情和友好，誠摯地歡迎重慶人民去威爾士參觀旅游。”肯·斯蓋茨說，威爾士的城堡數量居歐洲各國之最，《孤獨星球》雜志將北威爾士評選為2017年全球最值得去的地方之一。卡迪夫作為世界級的旅游景點和體育賽事舉辦地，將承辦2017歐洲冠軍杯聯賽。

“With the rapid development of Chongqing in recent years,tremendous progresses are made in the automobile,tourism,information industry and other f elds which also represent the key industries of Wales.”On February 20,Ken Skates,Cabinet Minister of Economy and Infrastructure of Welsh Parliamentary Government,had his frst visit to Chongqing and attended the activities related to the Eleventh Welsh Week in Chongqing.Mr.Skates said in an interview that as Chongqing has been in a friendly relation with Wales for 11 years,he hoped that further ef forts could be made to promote the deep cooperation between Chongqing and Wales in the economy and trade; the mutual trust and understanding be strengthened; the cooperation and exchange in business be boosted; the more effective connectivity of information in economy and trade be advanced.

Ken Skates introduced that Wales,one of the four major parts of Britain,which enjoys a high degree of autonomy with the independent parliament and government,is an important cooperation partner to Chongqing in Britain and has a closed relation with Chongqing.Over the past decade,Chongqing has had an in-depth and friendly cooperation and communication with Wales in the education,health,science and technology,low-carbon environmental protection,culture and art,and other fields; the Chongqing-Wales Week has been held successively and annually for ten times.

Mr.Skates said,“since the friendship between Wales and China continues to grow up,and our of fices in Chongqing,Beijing and Shanghai have built tight and friendly cooperation relation with the local governments,we hope that such cooperation relation can be promoted to a new level with the help of China’s Central Government and Chinese Embassy in London.”He also suggested that in recent years,trade cooperation between Wales and China has become increasingly close.At present,there are more than 4500 Chinese students learning in Wales,and three Confucius Institutes have been set up in the Welsh Cardiff,Bangor and Lampeter respectively.Ken Skates claimed,“Wales has an open business environment; the automotive,tourism,information industry and other fields have a sound momentum for development; besides,Welsh creative industry ranks second only to London.”

Ken Skates recommended,“Personally speaking,the relationship between two cities or regions should abide by the principle of‘making friends frst,and then doing business’.”He also believes that Chongqing,as the only municipality directly under the central government in western China,has enjoyed a rapid development in recent years; the eleven-year friendship between Chongqing and Wales helps to tighten the cooperation and exchange in culture,society,economy and other areas.In particular,he hopes that cooperation between Wales and Chongqing could be carried out in f elds like automotive manufacturing,aerospace,digital electronics,cultural creation and etc.

Ken Skates attended a series of important meetings with the relevant leaders of Chongqing Municipal Government and leaders of Chongqing Business Commission,Culture Commission,Sports Bureau and other departments.He also met with the Chinese business elites who had a willingness to invest in Britain,especially in Wales.

On the morning of February 20,Mr.Skates held a seminar with Chongqing Municipal Sports Bureau and then made a decision that the Chongqing and Welsh youth soccer training program was going to be conducted.“Wales has a standard training method recognized by the FIF A which can be available for Chongqing players to learn from.”He said that this project has a purpose of providing rich soccer resources for professional and amateur youth soccer players in Chongqing and conducting learning exchanges and relevant training through the mutual visits of both-side football players.

Ken Skates told,“It’s my first trip to Chongqing.I have felt the enthusiasm and friendliness of Chongqing people and sincerely welcome you Chongqing people to make a trip to Wales.”Mr.Skates introduced that Wales has the biggest number of castles in Europe and is appraised as one of the best places for traveling in 2017 by the magazine Lonely Planet.

The First Visit of the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure of Welsh Government,UK,to Chongqing Hope will be cherished to cooperate with Chongqing in the automobile,aviation,cultural creation and other fi elds

□Article/Journalist Xiong Yi