Barbara Judge says she will contribute to the 'golden era' of ties between the UK and China

The head of one of the UK's leading business organizations says China's Belt and Road Initiative could be a major driver of globalization.

Lady Barbara Judge, chairman of the Institute of Directors, speaking in Beijing on Aug 30, said it demonstrated China's commitment to being a global economic force.

"Globalization and Belt and Road go hand in hand to drive global economic growth," she said.

Judge, who was addressing an audience at The Center for China and Globalization, China's leading independent think tank, said there was a potential for a "triple package" to drive global economic activity.

"The components of this package are, first, the positive forces of globalization; second, the potential of Belt and Road; and third, taking the spirit of 'reform and opening-up' of China and embedding it into Belt and Road," she said.

Judge, who was born in the United States and became the first female head of the organization, which is more than a century old, in 2015, said she was in "strong agreement" with President Xi Jinping and his strong support for globalization outlined in his Davos speech in January.

She was hopeful he will renew that commitment when the leaders of the BRICS members - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - meet in Xiamen, Fujian province, for their ninth summit on Sept 3.

"There is great value in the positive advancement of globalization. Globalization is driven by businesses reaching out into the world. Chinese businesses going global will gain new momentum when combined with the Belt and Road Initiative."

Judge arrived in Beijing following a visit to Kazakhstan, a key country to the Belt and Road Initiative, where she had attended a board meeting of the Astana International Financial Center, a new central Asian financial hub.

"I have seen with my own eyes the immense Belt and Road possibilities for Chinese businesses in Kazakhstan," she said.

Judge said another of her roles was as UK business ambassador, and she wanted to do what she could to contribute to the "golden era" of relations between the UK and China.

She said she wanted Chinese companies to follow the example of telecommunications giant Huawei by setting up a UK subsidiary with a UK board. Huawei UK is chaired by former BP boss Lord Browne. "The outcome for Huawei in the UK is that they have won the great treasures of complete trust and transparency."

[email protected]

(China Daily European Weekly 09/01/2017 page3)