During his visit to China, British Prime Minister Starmer held talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Beijing on the 29th, stating that the UK is willing to strengthen multilateral coordination with China to jointly address global challenges; at the same time, enhance high-level and sectoral exchanges and dialogues, support open and free trade, deepen exchanges and cooperation in trade, finance, investment, manufacturing, services, and culture, and welcome Chinese enterprises to invest and cooperate in the UK.
After the talks, the two leaders jointly witnessed the signing of multiple cooperation documents in the fields of economy and trade, agriculture and food, media, education, and market supervision. Starmer will continue his trip to Shanghai on the 30th.
Li Qiang stated that China is willing to continue to work together with the UK, respect each other's core interests and major concerns, strengthen strategic communication, solidify the foundation of mutual trust, deepen cooperation in various fields, and promote the stable and long-term development of bilateral relations. China is also willing to work with the UK to improve the intergovernmental dialogue and cooperation mechanism, and to carry out exchanges at various levels and in various fields on a more regular basis.
He pointed out that both sides should better leverage complementary advantages, expand and improve the quality of bilateral trade, strengthen exchanges and alignment in financial regulation and financial market interconnectivity, deepen cooperation in emerging industries such as artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, clean energy, digital economy, and modern shipping services, and empower each other for better development. In recent times, unilateralism, protectionism, and bullying have been rampant internationally; China and the UK should demonstrate major country responsibility, strengthen multilateral communication and coordination, deepen cooperation on prominent governance deficits, uphold the authority of the United Nations, and safeguard multilateralism and free trade.
Earlier on the same day, Starmer also met with Zhao Leji, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, stating that China and the UK have broad common interests, and the UK is willing to develop a long-term and consistent strategic partnership with China. The UK’s long-standing policy on the Taiwan issue will not change, and he hopes that the legislative bodies of both sides will resume normal exchanges. Zhao Leji also said that China is willing to work with the UK in the spirit of strategic partnership, grasp the correct direction of being positive, pragmatic, stable, and mutually beneficial, eliminate interference, manage differences properly, and ensure that China-UK relations are steady, solid, and long-lasting. China is willing to work with the UK to jointly restore normal exchanges between the legislative bodies of the two countries and welcomes British parliamentarians to visit China.