President hails UK business leaders' ice-breaking trip

President Xi Jinping reaffirmed China's stance on supporting free trade and economic globalization while meeting with a British delegation on Tuesday.

Xi met with Stephen Perry, chairman of The 48 Group Club, a British organization composed of company leaders promoting Britain-China trade, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. The group provides consultancy services to British companies entering China's markets.

Xi spoke highly of the efforts made by Jack Perry - the late founder of the pioneering London Export Corp and father of Stephen - in the 1950s when the British entrepreneur led a group of 48 businessmen from the United Kingdom to visit China despite the trade barriers with the West during the Cold War.