Huge potential seen in China-Northern Ireland trade and investment cooperation

Two panel discussions were also held, where business leaders from both China and Northern Ireland shared successful examples of cooperation and expressed strong confidence in future collaboration, such as green energy.

Keith Anderson, CEO of Thompson Aero Seating, a supplier of business and first-class aircraft seating that was acquired by the Chinese shareholder Aviation Industry Corporation of China, or AVIC, in 2016, said Chinese investment has been crucial to the company's global growth.

"Without that investment, without that support, I would predict quite comfortably that we would not exist today," Anderson said.

Meanwhile, Wang Tinjiang, chairman of Thompson Aero Seating, said that Thompson also plays a role in helping AVIC take part in the global supply chain and ecosystem.

Bono Ge, country manager of BYD UK, said the Chinese electric vehicle maker sees Northern Ireland as a market with great potential due to its lower electricity costs compared with the UK average, abundant wind power resources, and the UK government's supportive policies for electric vehicles, such as the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate.