IntroductionTwentyfiveyearsagoIcametoHongKongasastudent.Theyearwas1985.DengXiaopingandMargaretThatcherhadrecentlysignedthehistoricJointDeclaration.TheremarkablestoryofthesuccessfulhandoverofHongKongandthegreatprogressHongKonghascontinuedtomakeisanexampletotheworldofwhatcanbeachievedwhentwocountriescooperateinconfidenceandwithmutualrespect.Sincethen,Chinahaschangedalmostbeyondrecognition.China’sNationalAnthemfamouslycallsonthepeopleofChinatostandupQilaiqilai(standup,standup)TodaytheChinesepeoplearenotjuststandingupintheirowncountrytheyarestandingupintheworld.Nolongercanpeopletalkabouttheglobaleconomywithoutincludingthecountrythathasgrownonaveragetenpercentayearforthreedecades.Nolongercanwetalkabouttrade…withoutthecountrythatisnowtheworld’slargestexporterandthirdlargestimporterAndnolongercanwedebateenergysecurityorclimatechangewithoutthecountrythatisoneoftheworld’sbiggestconsumerofenergy.Chinaisoncoursetoreclaim,laterthiscentury,itspositionastheworld’sbiggesteconomythepositionithasheldfor18ofthelast20centuries.andanachievementofwhichtheChinesepeoplearejustlyproud.Putsimply:Chinahasre-emergedasagreatglobalpower.ThreatorOpportunityNowpeoplecanreacttothisinoneoftwoways.TheycanseeChina’sriseasathreatortheycanseeitasanopportunity.TheycanprotecttheirmarketsfromChinaoropentheirmarketstoChina.TheycantryandshutChinaoutorwelcomeChinain,toanewplaceatthetoptableofglobalaffairs.TherehasbeenachangeofGovernmentinBritainandachangeofPrimeMinister.ButonthisvitalpointthereisabsolutecontinuitybetweenmygovernmentandtheGovernmentsofTonyBlairandGordonBrown.WewantastrongrelationshipwithChina.Strongontrade.Strongoninvestment.Strongondialogue.ImadethatclearasLeaderoftheOppositionwhenIvisitedBeijingandChongqingthreeyearsago.AndIrepeatitasPrimeMinisterhereinChina’scapitaltoday.IntheargumentabouthowtoreacttotheriseofChina.Isayit’sanopportunity.Ichooseengagementnotdisengagement.Dialoguenotstand-off.Mutualbenefit,notzero-sumgame.Partnershipnotprotectionism.Britainisthecountrythatarguesmostpassionatelyforglobalisationandfreetrade.FreetradeisinourDNA.AndwewanttradewithChina.Asmuchofitaswecanget.That’swhyIhavewithmeonthisvisitoneofthebiggestandmosthigh-powereddelegationsaBritishPrimeMinisterhaseverledtoChina.JustthinkaboutsomeoftheprizesthattheriseofChinacouldhelptobringwithinourgrasp.Strong,andsustainablegrowthfortheglobaleconomy.VitalprogressontheDohatraderoundwhichcouldadd$170billiontotheglobaleconomy.ArealchancetogetbackontracktowardsalegallybindingdealonemissionsUnprecedentedprogressintacklingpoverty.Chinahaslifted500millionpeopleoutofpovertyinjustthirtyyears.Althoughthereisstillalongwaytogo–that’smorepeopleliftedoutofpovertythanatanytimeinhumanhistory.Youcanseetheresultsrightacrossthisenormouscountry.WhenIworkedinHongKongbrieflyin1985,Shenzhenwasbarelymorethanasmalltown,surroundedbypaddyfieldsandwaterways.TodayitisacitylargerthanLondon.Itmakesmostoftheworld’siPodsandoneintenofitsmobilephones.Andthereareotherbenefitstoointacklingtheworld’smostintractableproblems.Iwelcomethefact,forexample,thatmorethan900ChinesedoctorsnowworkinAfricancountriesandthatinUgandaitisaChinesepharmaceuticalfirmthatisintroducinganewanti-malarialdrug.SoIwanttomakethepositivecasefortheworldtoseeChina’sriseasanopportunitynotathreat.ButChinaneedstohelpustomakethatargumenttodemonstratethatasyoureconomygrows,sodooursh...
