UK foreign secretary's visit set to build trust

With United Kingdom Foreign Secretary David Lammy set to make an official visit to China on Friday and Saturday, Beijing has expressed its hope to work together with London on building trust and holding dialogues on cooperation.

The trip, announced by China's Foreign Ministry on Thursday, marks the first visit to China by a member of the new UK Cabinet led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who took office in July.

Analysts noted that both China and the UK are permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, and both are major world economies.

"A sustained and steady China-UK relationship serves the interests of the two countries, facilitates the joint response of the international community to global challenges and boosts world peace and development," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Thursday.

The two sides "will have in-depth discussion on enhancing strategic mutual trust and strengthening dialogue on cooperation in various areas" during Lammy's visit to China, Mao told a daily news briefing in Beijing.

President Xi Jinping held his first phone conversation with the new UK prime minister in August.

The two sides reached an important consensus on sticking to the principle of mutual respect, strengthening contacts and dialogues, and expanding exchanges and cooperation.

Lammy's talks in Beijing are expected to center on implementing the important consensus reached between the two leaders in the phone talks in August, Mao said.

Beijing is willing to work with London to continue seeing each other as partners, uphold open cooperation, strive for mutual benefits and a win-win situation, and promote the sustained and steady growth of bilateral relations, she added.

The UK was one of the first major Western countries to recognize the People's Republic of China, and it has been 52 years since the two countries established diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level.

Observers noted that in recent months, China and the UK have seen good momentum in exchanges at various levels, as senior officials from the two countries, including ministers, have held talks or made phone calls covering areas such as economy, finance, diplomacy and energy.

Zheng Zeguang, China's ambassador to the UK, said recently that China and the UK "have their own specialties in economy, education and culture, and there is enormous potential for mutually beneficial cooperation".

zhangyunbi@chinadaily.com.cn