A group of Chinese entrepreneurs worth around five per cent of China’s GDP paid a visit to Cambridge technology company ARM Holdings.

The China Entrepreneur Club (CEC), on a week-long visit to the UK to coincide with the London Olympics, expressly requested co-hosts UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) and PwC to organise a meeting with ARM because they saw the company as representing Britain’s best innovation practice.

The objectives for the 28-strong delegation’s UK visit, which is also taking them to London and Goodwood, are to discuss sustainable development, “lay foundations for business cooperation between leading Chinese entrepreneurs and British counterparts through in-depth communication and exchange” and “to seek new opportunities for business cooperation between the two countries.”

Liz Basing, International Trade Director for the UKTI East said: “The CEC’s visit to Cambridge is a tribute to the quality of the business and academic output of our region and we should be very proud that this is the image the East of England projects overseas. We were delighted to welcome them and showcase the best our region has to offer.

“London 2012 is a once in a generation opportunity for the UK to demonstrate its global capabilities. For these two weeks and beyond, Britain will be a focus of interest for global business alongside the fantastic celebration of sporting excellence offered by the Olympics.

“Just like CEC, other business leaders from around the world are visiting the UK during the Games and this gives a unique opportunity for the region’s companies to build new relationships and develop existing ones.”

Leading the delegation during the visit, Liu Chuanzhi, chairman of the China Entrepreneur Club, said: “CEC’s visit to the UK has won support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China and the British Foreign & Commonwealth Office as well as key organisations, NGOs, enterprises and individuals from both countries.

“We would like to extend our appreciation to all parties involved for their support. We are working together on this task for a shared goal – namely, to facilitate the collaboration and mutual success in business and economic development between China and the UK.”

Mike Inglis, chief commercial officer for ARM, added: “We were delighted to host this event at ARM, as technology companies from China are driving innovation in important markets that will shape the future of mobile computing.

“ARM and ARM Partners are heavily involved in that market and have worked closely with Chinese companies for many years. It was good to see so many of the leading companies represented during this visit.”

The delegation also attended a themed dinner on innovation and the knowledge economy at Magdalene College; a sustainability workshop at Gonville and Caius College hosted by the University of Cambridge Programme for Sustainability; a visit to the Needham Research Institute; and a business innovation luncheon at Queens’ College co-hosted by PwC and UKTI.

• PHOTOGRAPH SHOWS: Stephen Pattison (VP Public Affairs at ARM) addressing members of the China Entrepreneur Club during their visit to Cambridge