The 48 Group Club's Chairman, Stephen Perry, gave a speech of reassurance and foresight at this year's China-Britain Business Council's (CBBC) China Business Conference. The China UK trade specialist's words spoke not only of how China will change in the next twenty to thirty years, but also of the untold opportunities that will come to the international community in the coming years.

The 48 Group was once referred to as 'the Ice Breakers' because of how over half a century ago this group of forward-thinking business men led the way in business ties. With this in mind we can assume the words of such a specialist as Mr Perry to be more carefully considered and accurate than those sensational stories that we find in the daily media.

The main messages of Mr Perry's speech appear to be global interconnectivity and how the changing face of China's own economy will lead to a super-power built on 'Common prosperity' instead of capitalist led imperial expansion. Though one message also appears apparent: China will surpass the US to become the biggest economy, China is creating the infrastructure that will benefit national and international interests, and that now is the time to invest and venture in to China's ever opening markets.

Common prosperity, Perry says, will see that new markets will open up in the areas neighbouring China because China is rebuilding what existed before; high-speed rail spanning from China to Moscow will be the new silk road, creating 'ribbon development' across surrounding areas, and also bringing Europe and the East closer together. The prosperity of China and the extended prosperity of its neighbours will be beneficial to Europe as new markets open up along the new silk road, and in the Southern Sea.

The future of China and the new Silk Road is predicted to lead to goods and people move across Europe and Asia. In fact China's gradual change from a peasant agriculture society to a large scale industry production society has changed the social and economic face of China as more people move in to cities; the benefits to this will again bring larger and diverse markets, as well as create trade across the landmass, and bring with it untold benefits.

Perry told those business people present that 'China going global is a great new opportunity, but China backing Asia and the Silk Road is a much bigger opportunity.' Though the transition will take years to come, now is the time to make money, though China's transitioning means that people need to be aware of the business opportunities, but also to be careful and 'Check and recheck.'

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