Speaking at the event, Wang Qi, minister at China's embassy in the UK, delivered remarks on behalf of China's Ambassador to the UK Zheng Zeguang.

Wang extended New Year greetings to the attendees and said the Spring Festival not only embodies the essence of Chinese culture, but also serves as an important bridge for cultural exchanges between China and the UK. And he described Friday's concert as a vivid example of such exchanges and expressed his belief that they will bring the peoples of the two countries closer together.

Wang noted that over the past year, China-UK relations had continued to deliver positive outcomes through dialogue, exchanges, and practical cooperation.

Recognizing the City of London as a leading global financial center, Wang said the UK capital enjoys unique strengths in promoting mutually beneficial cooperation.

"We welcome and look forward to the city's continued commitment to openness, professionalism and innovation, building more platforms for cooperation between Chinese and British business," he said.