Xi: China, Britain should remain steadfast partners, strengthen dialogue, cooperation (second and final extension)

BEIJING, Aug. 23 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping said Friday that China and Britain should remain firm partners, strengthen dialogue and cooperation, and benefit themselves and the world through stable and mutually beneficial China-Britain relations.

Xi’s remarks came during a phone conversation with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the latter’s request, in which the Chinese president congratulated him on taking office as Britain’s prime minister.

Noting the volatility and complexity of the current international situation, Xi said that China and Britain, as permanent members of the UN Security Council and major economies in the world, should view bilateral relations from a long-term and strategic perspective.

Xi added that China is committed to advancing the building of a strong country and advancing the great national rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese-style modernization path, and sticks to the path of sound development, expressing his hope that Britain will view China in an objective and rational manner.

Xi pointed out that the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee has drawn up strategic plans to further comprehensively deepen reform and promote Chinese-style modernization, adding that China will accelerate the development of new high-quality productive forces and push for the creation of a new type of manufacturing, which will provide more new opportunities for countries around the world, including Britain.

Xi went on to say that China is willing to engage in equal dialogue with Britain on the basis of mutual respect, enhance mutual understanding and mutual trust, strengthen the synergy between China and Britain’s development strategies, expand cooperation in such areas as finance, green economy and artificial intelligence, and deepen people-to-people exchanges, so as to make mutual benefit and win-win the main feature of China-Britain relations.

For his part, Starmer congratulated the Chinese sports delegation on their excellent performance at the Paris Olympic Games, adding that developing a closer cooperative relationship between Britain and China is in the long-term interests of both sides, and enhancing cooperation in areas such as economy, trade, finance, education, clean energy, medicine and health will help promote the development of both sides and jointly address global challenges such as climate change.

The British Prime Minister pointed out that the British side is willing to strengthen communication and dialogue with the Chinese side at all levels and in all sectors, push for positive results in bilateral practical cooperation and mechanism-based exchanges, and develop long-term, stable and strategic relations with China in the spirit of mutual respect.

Starmer said Britain is also willing to maintain communication with China on major international and regional issues, and contribute to safeguarding global security and stability, noting that he would like to reiterate that Britain’s long-standing commitment to the one-China policy is unchangeable.

Xi said the Chinese side attaches great importance to the British side’s desire to enhance communication and dialogue between them, adding that China is willing to maintain exchanges with the British side at all levels to push for a stable and long-term bilateral relationship, and work together to promote world peace and development.