Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Friday by phone at the latter’s request, during which Xi said that China and Britain should remain firm as partners, strengthen dialogue and cooperation, and benefit the two countries and the world through a stable and mutually beneficial China-Britain relationship.
The phone conversation is the first of its kind between Xi and Starmer since Starmer succeeded in leading the Labour Party to a decisive victory in the UK general election and was appointed prime minister on July 5.
During his phone talks, Xi congratulated Starmer on assuming office as British prime minister.
Xi noted that the current international situation is volatile and intertwined, and he said that China and Britain, both permanent members of the UN Security Council and major economies in the world, should view bilateral relations from a long-term and strategic perspective, remain firm as partners, strengthen dialogue and cooperation, and benefit the two countries and the world through a stable and mutually beneficial China-Britain relationship.
The UK hopes to enhance contact and dialogue at all levels and in all areas with China, aiming for positive results in practical cooperation and institutional exchanges, and to develop a long-term, stable, and strategically significant UK-China relationship based on mutual respect, said Starmer.
