LONDON — More than 40 Chinese and British companies joined a talent fair online on Oct 31, which is expected to provide some 2,000 job opportunities to overseas Chinese students and scholars from British universities.

The Third China-UK High-level Talent Fair, kicked off online this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, has attracted students and scholars from about 60 universities in Britain, with more than 2,000 positions in the fields of finance, high-tech, education, biomedicine and health, according to the fair's organizer UK China Talent Development Association.

Liu Xiaoming, the Chinese ambassador to Britain, said in a congratulatory message that the talent fair, in its third year, would continue broadening communication channels for Chinese and British talents while the world is facing a huge challenge of development posed by the pandemic.

"Both China and the UK need a variety of talents. High level talents from universities could work together to respond to the challenge with enthusiasm, innovation and courage," the senior Chinese diplomat said.

Gill Caldicott, the British Education and Culture Consul in East China, said the fair promotes the exchange of talents between China and Britain, and to build a bridge to help Chinese students studying in Britain and overseas.

"The UK welcomes thousands of Chinese students every year, and this number is only growing. In the past five years, the number of Chinese students enrolled in the UK has risen from about 90,000 to over 120,000," she noted.

The talent fair, supported by the Chinese Embassy in Britain, will last till mid-November.