Trading up for a writer's life

Williams, who still holds a number of other corporate positions, has had a ringside seat as China has emerged into a major economic power in the 40 years since Deng Xiaoping launched the reform and opening-up.

"After the recent (19th CPC National) Congress meeting, China in its new era is saying that it has world-class businesses, its own way of doing things and will take its place among the great nations of the world," he says.

Williams believes China's major initiatives such as the Belt and Road offer huge opportunities for the rest of the world to engage with the country.

"China is actually a stable state in the world compared to some others at the moment. There is a huge amount of investment coming out of China, even with the current capital controls," he says.

"I can only think how the Belt and Road could be good for Europe. China's door is open and I am surprised they (European governments) are not taking advantage of it."

Williams was also chairman of the British Chamber of Commerce in China in the late 1990s and now sees huge opportunities for China and his own country, the UK, to do a free trade agreement based around services.

"I remember going to a meeting once with Wang Qishan (now China's vice-president) and he was praising the City of London as being the greatest port in the world, despite not having any ships, docking or cargo going through it. This was because it provides the laws, the insurance and the finance for the shipping industry around the world," he says.

Williams' other big China connection is being the husband of Hong Ying, a very famous Chinese author in her own right.