British companies looking positively at China's market, reform

The CBI's members are enthusiastic and ready to be further involved in China's reform agenda, such as the internationalization of the renminbi, the Belt and Road Initiative as well as Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) program, Dru said.

"During his visit to China last month, our Chancellor of Exchequer (British Finance Minister) George Osborne made a pledge in Shanghai Stock Exchange building, saying quite clearly that he wants the London Stock Exchange and Shanghai Stock Exchange to link closer," he said.

He noted that the CBI's members are totally understanding and willing to be part of the renminbi's internationalization journey, and that some of the members like the London-based brokerage company ICAP are now trading in renminbi in London and supporting the platform that is emerging in Shanghai, Hong Kong and London.

He added that he is keenly interested in China's ready-to-released 13th five-year plan and will keep watching on three spheres: environmental protection and climate change commitments, the details of the Belt and Road Initiative and where British businesses can benefit from it for the next five years, the concrete policies of China's economic rebalancing, such as the reforms of state-owned enterprises and the continuing opening-up of financial services sectors.

President Xi Jinping is to pay his first state visit to the United Kingdom from Oct 19 to Oct 23.