Anti-Brexit protesters rally in London for UK's return to EU

Protesters on Monday gathered in London outside Lancaster House, the site of the first UK-EU summit since Brexit, urging Britain to return to the European Union.

Demonstrators waved UK and EU flags, holding signs reading "Choose Europe" and "The Best Deal is with EU," while chanting "We all live in a Brexit tragedy," as they urged the government to rejoin the bloc.

"We really need to go all the way and get back to the stage we were with the EU. I'm a European citizen, and I have been wrenched out of the European Union and lost all my rights. So, I consider it's just a matter of my rights being put back," said Clem Lutter, a protester.

"I'm Romanian. I've lived in the UK for about 14 years now. This is my home. I still don't get to have a say here, and also, the goalposts are changing from government to government on our rights. Only last week, we heard from Keir Starmer that now it might take 10 years for someone like me to be able to naturalise as a British citizen. It's put so many people in feeling like we're really alienated," said Andrea, another protester.

Britain and the EU reached a wide-ranging agreement on Monday, which is expected to generate nearly 9 billion pounds (about 12.02 billion U.S. dollars) for the British economy by 2040, Downing Street announced.

The deal was unveiled ahead of the summit, which was hailed by both sides as a "historic moment." European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called the agreement a "new chapter" in the relationship, as the two sides seek to reset ties after years of post-Brexit friction.

Anti-Brexit protesters rally in London for UK's return to EU

Commerce Ministry spokesman He Yadong on Thursday urged the European Union (EU) to join hands with China in promoting the sound development of bilateral economic and trade ties.

Commenting on a possible trade agreement between the two sides following German delegations' recent visits to China at a press briefing in Beijing, He said China has always held an opening attitude toward trade ties with the EU.

"China and the EU are important economic and trade partners. Over the years, their cooperation has been built on a solid foundation, with strong growth momentum and deeply interwoven supply and industrial chains, forming a pattern of complementary strengths and mutual benefit. China has always maintained an open attitude toward bilateral trade arrangements with the EU and welcomes relevant proposals from European leaders," the spokesman said.

He underscored China's openness to deeper cooperation, but also cautioned that recent EU practices have posed challenges for Chinese enterprises.

"However, the EU has employed various trade tools including investigation to restrict Chinese enterprises over the recent years. We hope the EU will listen more to the voices of its member states and industries, abandon protectionist practices, and work with China in the same direction, replacing barriers with openness and cooperation, resolving frictions through dialogue and consultation, and jointly promoting the sound development of China-EU economic and trade relations," He said.

Chinese ministry of commerce urges EU to work with China for sound trade growth