Beijing, October 18th—Liu Jianchao, Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee (IDCPC), met here today with David Lammy, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the UK.

Liu said, President Xi Jinping recently had phone talks with Prime Minister Keir Starmer at request. They reached important consensus on upholding the principle of mutual respect, enhancing contact and dialogue and expanding exchanges and cooperation, charting the course for the development of China-UK relations. In the current world fraught with turmoil and changes, a healthy and stable relationship between China and the UK, both permanent members of the UN Security Council and major global economies, serves interests of both countries and the world. China is willing to work with the UK to implement consensus of the leaders of the two countries, strengthen exchanges at all levels, expand practical cooperation across various fields, deepen people-to-people and cultural exchanges, enhance communication and coordination on international and regional affairs, and help boost a stable and mutually beneficial bilateral relationship, so as to inject greater stability into the world.

Liu said, inter-party exchanges play a crucial role in bilateral relations, especially facilitating dialogue and communication between the two sides. The CPC is willing to, together with major political parties of the UK, make good use of mechanisms such as the China-UK Leadership Forum, and enhance mutual understanding, in a bid to ensure steady development of bilateral relations in the long term.

Lammy said he was glad to visit China after attending the 11th UK-China Leadership Forum last June. Highlighting the UK’s strong emphasis on its relationship with China, he said the two nations have close cooperation in economy, trade, investment, education and public health and other fields. The Labour government looks forward to, on the basis of mutual respect and in a way that conforms to the interests of both sides, strengthening contact, deepening dialogue and cooperation, appropriately managing differences, and keeping bilateral relations stable and consistent. There are many wars and conflicts around the world. Both the UK and China do not want to see the intense situations escalate. Therefore, as permanent members of the UN Security Council, the UK and China should work together to seek effective solutions. It is believed that the UK-China Leadership Forum can continue to play a significant role in promoting bilateral relations.

The two sides also exchanged views on international and regional issues such as the Ukraine crisis and situations in the Middle East and on Korean Peninsula.

Lu Kang, Vice Minister of the IDCPC, and Caroline Wilson, British Ambassador to China, were present.