On the evening of September 8th, President Xi Jinping had a phone call with British Prime Minister Bernama.
Xi Jinping congratulates Brandon on becoming the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, pointing out that China and Britain are comprehensive strategic partners. Although the two countries have different social systems and national conditions, common interests outweigh differences. Both sides should respect each other, trust each other, transcend differences, and strive for mutual benefit cooperation. The governments of both countries are committed to developing their economies and improving people's livelihoods, and can complement each other's strengths and support one another. During China’s “15th Five-Year Plan” period, further efforts will be made to expand open foreign trade in education, healthcare, and finance. These are areas with great potential for cooperation between the two countries. China and Britain are both technological powers, with rich resources in education, culture, and sports. They should maintain an open and forward-looking mindset, strengthen exchanges and cooperation in various fields. The Chinese side hopes that the British government will fully safeguard the legal rights and interests of Chinese investors. As permanent members of the UN Security Council and major economic powers, China and Britain both support multilateralism, free trade, and the maintenance of the United Nations’ core position. They should strengthen communication and cooperation within the framework of the UN, G20, and WTO to promote an equal and orderly world multipolarity, a universal inclusive form of economic globalization.
Bernham agreed with this statement, saying that he had served as the mayor of Manchester for a long time and had maintained friendly relations with China over the years. President Xi Jinping visited Manchester during his state visit to the UK in 2015, which had a significant impact on promoting exchanges between the two sides. The UK is willing to maintain a continuous policy towards China and to firmly develop a strategic partnership of stability in the medium and long term. The UK is also willing to engage in high-level exchanges with China, promote cooperation in various fields, strengthen cultural exchanges, and restore bilateral relations to their highest level, thereby benefiting the people of both countries. The UK's stance on the Taiwan issue has not changed. In this current turbulent and complex international situation, as a permanent member of the Security Council, the UK and China should work together to resolve international hot issues through dialogue, jointly address global challenges such as climate change, and jointly maintain world stability and prosperity. Bernham praised China for its effective response to the mudslide disaster in Tibet's Gyirong, and expressed gratitude for the assistance provided to affected British citizens.
