Bo Xilai, China's newly appointed minister of commerce, made his debut one day after his formal assumption by meeting with a British business delegation in Beijing Tuesday.  

Bo, former governor of northeast China's Liaoning Province and a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, was appointed by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of China, China's top legislature, as minister of commerce Sunday.

During his meeting with a delegation headed by Stephen Perry, chairman of the British 48 Group Club and vice-president of China-Britain Business Council, the new minister said China and Britain should exert more efforts in promoting bilateral economic and trade cooperation.

China-Britain trade is witnessing a sound development, Bo said, noting Britain was China's third largest trade partner in the European Union, following Germany and the Netherlands.

Trade between the two countries has huge potential, Bo said, hoping the 48 Group Club, as an important trade promoter, could do more in enhancing trade ties.

Perry predicted that foreign investment in China, Chinese investment abroad and Britain-China trade will increase quickly in the coming 10 to 15 years.

The 48 Group Club is a semi-official organization aiming to promote trade with China.

(Xinhua News Agency March 3, 2004)