China's ambassador to the UK Zheng Zeguang visited Birmingham, a major city in central UK, and met with Lord Mayor Chaman Lal at the Birmingham City Council House on Wednesday.

Mayor Lal said Birmingham cherishes the twinned city relationship with the Chinese cities of Changchun, Guangzhou and Nanjing. He is very grateful to Nanjing and other Chinese cities for their help and support to Birmingham during the pandemic.

Lal added he looked forward to resuming face-to-face exchanges with China's twinned cities as soon as possible, and wants to actively expand practical cooperation with China in a wide range of fields such as infrastructure construction, trade investment, green transformation, education and tourism.

Ambassador Zheng Zeguang said cooperation between China and Birmingham has great potential and broad prospects. China encourages its cities to strengthen friendly exchanges and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation with Birmingham.

The ambassador's visit received a warm welcome from members of the overseas Chinese community.

In his speech at the welcome event, the ambassador expressed his gratitude to the community of overseas Chinese for their active efforts in spreading Chinese culture and promoting practical cooperation, which has built a bridge linking China and the UK. 

During the visit to the University of Birmingham on Thursday, a new blue plaque to commemorate Li Siguang was unveiled by the ambassador Zheng Zeguang and Professor Jon Frampton, Deputy Pro-vice Chancellor of the University.

Li Siguang is a Chinese geologist and statesman. He entered University of Birmingham in 1913 and was awarded a master's degree in 1919. The memorial plaque is to mark his pioneering research on the geology and natural resources of China.

Ambassador Zheng Zeguang also had a discussion with Professor Adam Tickell, the Principal of the University of Birmingham, on the exchange of Chinese and British students and cooperation in education and scientific research. Currently there are about 200,000 Chinese students in the UK, among which over 6,800 are studying at the University of Birmingham.

Several Chinese students studying in the university shared with the ambassador about their experience of studying and living in the UK. The ambassador encouraged the students to learn diverse cultures, hoping that they establish more friendships in the UK.

This is the first official visit of the ambassador to Birmingham.