Xi speaks to Starmer on strengthening exchanges

Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Friday by phone at the latter's request, during which Xi said that China and Britain should remain firm as partners, strengthen dialogue and cooperation, and benefit the two countries and the world through a stable and mutually beneficial China-Britain relationship.

The phone conversation is the first of its kind between Xi and Starmer since  Starmer succeeded in leading the Labour Party to a decisive victory in the UK general election and was appointed prime minister on July 5. On July 7, Chinese Premier Li Qiang sent a congratulatory message to Starmer on assuming the position.

During his phone talks, Xi congratulated Starmer on assuming office as British prime minister.

Xi noted that the current international situation is volatile and intertwined, and he said that China and Britain, both permanent members of the UN Security Council and major economies in the world, should view bilateral relations from a long-term and strategic perspective, remain firm as partners, strengthen dialogue and cooperation, and benefit the two countries and the world through a stable and mutually beneficial China-Britain relationship.

China is committed to advancing the building of a strong country and national rejuvenation on all fronts via Chinese modernization, and sticking to the path of peaceful development, Xi said, expressing his hope that Britain can view China in an objective and rational way.

China stands ready to engage in equal dialogue with Britain on the basis of mutual respect, enhance mutual understanding and mutual trust, strengthen synergy of development strategies with Britain, expand cooperation in such fields as finance, green economy and artificial intelligence as well as deepen people-to-people exchanges, to make mutual benefit and win-win the main tone of China-Britain relations, Xi said.

Starmer congratulated the Chinese sports delegation on their outstanding performance at the Paris Olympics and said that developing closer UK-China cooperation aligns with the long-term interests of both sides. Strengthening cooperation in trade, finance, education, clean energy, and healthcare would benefit each country's development and jointly address global challenges such as climate change. 

The UK hopes to enhance contact and dialogue at all levels and in all areas with China, aiming for positive results in practical cooperation and institutional exchanges, and to develop a long-term, stable, and strategically significant UK-China relationship based on mutual respect, said Starmer. 

This phone call on Friday is seen as meaningful for both countries, as China-UK relations had previously been strained for a while, Cui Hongjian, a professor from the Academy of Regional and Global Governance with Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times. 

Cui noted that the Labour Party's push for phone communication between the leaders is aimed at distinguishing itself from the Conservative Party. Since coming to power, the Labour Party has faced various challenges and is seeking to make a breakthrough in diplomacy, aiming to reactivate China-UK relations and restore them to a normal and healthy state through dialogue and interaction.

However, whether it can rejuvenate bilateral ties depends on the British side, as the current issues in China-UK relations largely stem from the UK. The British government needs to show sincerity and take concrete actions to improve relations, analysts said. 

The Labour Party faces significant pressure from the UK media, Parliament, and think tanks, which maintained a critical stance toward China. Additionally, reduced communication under the previous Conservative government posed challenges, said Cui. 

"We hope the Labour Party will move beyond mere gestures and develop concrete plans to restore bilateral relations responsibly. Both sides should implement the leaders' consensus, build mutual trust, and improve ties step by step," said the expert.