Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday held phone talks with British Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
Congratulating Burnham on assuming office as British prime minister, Xi said that China and Britain are comprehensive strategic partners.
Despite differences in their social systems and national conditions, the two countries share more common interests than differences, Xi said, urging the two sides to respect and trust each other, transcend differences, seek common ground while reserving differences, and expand mutually beneficial cooperation.
Both governments are committed to developing their economies and improving people's well-being, and the two countries can complement each other's strengths and assist each other, Xi said.
During the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), China will further expand opening up in such areas as education, healthcare and finance, all of which offer great potential for bilateral cooperation, Xi said.
Pointing out that China and Britain are both major countries in science and technology with rich resources in education, culture, sports and other fields, Xi called on the two sides to maintain an open and forward-looking mentality and strengthen exchanges and cooperation in various fields.
Xi expressed the hope that the British side will fully protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese investors.
Xi noted that China and Britain, as permanent members of the UN Security Council and major economies in the world, both support multilateralism and open trade, and uphold the central role of the United Nations.
The two sides should strengthen communication and coordination within frameworks such as the United Nations, the Group of 20 and the World Trade Organization, and promote an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, Xi said.
Burnham agreed with Xi, noting that he had maintained friendly exchanges with China over many years while serving as Mayor of Greater Manchester. He said President Xi's state visit to Britain in 2015, when he had a stop in Manchester, had a significant impact on promoting exchanges between the city and the Chinese side.
Britain is willing to maintain the continuity of its China policy and firmly develop a long-term and stable strategic partnership with China, Burnham said. He expressed the desire to conduct high-level exchanges with China, advance bilateral cooperation in various fields, step up people-to-people exchanges, and bring bilateral relations back to their highest level in history and deliver more benefits to the two peoples.
Burnham reiterated that Britain's position on the Taiwan question remains unchanged. Facing the complex and volatile international landscape, Britain and China, as permanent members of the UN Security Council, should work together to promote dialog in settling international hotspot issues and jointly address global challenges such as climate change, he said.
Burnham also appreciated China's efficient and effective response to the mudslide that struck Gyirong Port on the China-Nepal border in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, and expressed the gratitude for China's assistance to British citizens affected by the disaster.
Xi holds phone talks with British PM
