On October 17, during a press briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning announced that UK Minister of State for Development Andrew Mitchell is set to make an official visit to China from October 18 to 19, following an invitation from Wang Yi, a member of the Politburo and the Foreign Minister of China.
A reporter inquired about China’s perspective on the current state of UK-China relations, especially with the recent announcement of the minister’s visit. Mao Ning emphasized that both China and the UK are permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and major global economies. He remarked that a stable and developing relationship between the two nations serves their mutual interests and contributes to global cooperation in addressing significant challenges, ultimately promoting peace and development worldwide.
Mao pointed out that this visit marks the first trip to China by a cabinet minister from the new UK government. The discussions will revolve around implementing the important consensus reached during the leaders’ phone call in August, focusing on enhancing strategic mutual trust and deepening cooperation across various sectors. He expressed China’s willingness to work with the UK, maintaining a partnership approach, fostering open collaboration, and promoting mutually beneficial outcomes to ensure the steady progress of UK-China relations.
