Asia

Home page

Asia

China, Britain pledge closer economic ties on eve of PM Cameron’s visit to China

09 November 2010 03:59 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. China and Britain Monday vowed to boost their economic and trade ties on the eve of British Prime Minister David Cameron’s two-day trip to Beijing, APA reports quoting Xinhua News Agency.

The pledge was made at talks between Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang and UK Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne, who will attend the third China-UK Economic and Financial Dialogue in Beijing on Tuesday.

China and Britain share common or similar ground on issues like trade and investment liberalization and reform of the global economic governance system, Li said, expressing hope the two countries will deepen their cooperation.

China hopes to work with Britain to oppose protectionism and advance the reform of the global financial regime, in a bid to facilitate the global economic recovery, Li added.

Li said bilateral ties since the new British government, a Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition, came to power have been good.

He called for increasing political trust and deepening cooperation and coordination on international and regional issues.

Osborne said the new British government attaches great importance to relations with China and added that Britain hopes to boost bilateral cooperation.

Osborne will co-chair the annual China-UK Economic and Financial Dialogue with Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan on the day Cameron kicks off his first tour of China as British prime minister.

Cameron, accompanied by the largest-ever delegation to China with four cabinet ministers and 50 top business leaders, is scheduled to meet with Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao.

With trade and the economy at the top his agenda during his China visit, Cameron will attend a China-Britain commercial summit in Beijing before heading to Seoul for the G20 Summit on November 11 and 12.

Chinese Ambassador Liu Xiaoming earlier said Cameron’s visit will further enhance Britain-China political trust and promote bilateral cooperation in various fields and "is of great importance to the long-term development of the bilateral relationship."