Chinese President Xi Jinping held a telephone call with British Prime Minister Andy Burnham on the evening of the 8th local time, state broadcaster China Central Television reported.
Xi congratulated Burnham on taking office and said the two sides should respect and trust each other, move beyond their differences and expand the pie of cooperation. He specifically called for the two countries to "seek common ground while accepting differences," a phrase meaning that both sides pursue shared interests while acknowledging where they diverge.
Xi said China plans to widen market access in education, healthcare and finance, and that those sectors offer room for broader cooperation between the two countries. He added that he hoped the British side would fully protect the lawful rights and interests of Chinese investors.
The Chinese government had earlier urged Britain to abide by investment protection agreements and safeguard the rights of Chinese companies in connection with London's nationalization of British Steel. Xi did not refer to the case directly, but the remarks in a leaders' call were seen as underscoring Beijing's position to the new British government.
Xi also stressed in the call that the two countries should advance a multipolar world and inclusive economic globalization within frameworks including the United Nations, the Group of 20 and the World Trade Organization.
Burnham said Britain's position on the Taiwan issue remains unchanged, CCTV reported. According to the broadcaster, Burnham said the British side hoped to pursue high-level exchanges and cooperation across various fields with China and to strengthen people-to-people and cultural ties, adding that he hoped to restore bilateral relations to the highest level in their history and bring greater happiness to the people of both countries. CCTV also reported that Burnham praised China's efficient response to a debris flow disaster in the Tibet Autonomous Region, which borders flood-hit Nepal, and expressed gratitude for assistance provided to British nationals affected by the disaster.
