China and Britain on Monday pledged joint efforts to develop a
"comprehensive strategic partnership" to benefit both countries and
to help create a safer, more prosperous and open world.
China and Britain share common interests in working together on
bilateral, multilateral and global issues, the two sides said in a
joint statement issued following talks between visiting Chinese
Premier Wen Jiabao and British Prime Minister Tony Blair in
London.
"We see the relationship between our two countries as among our
top international priorities," the statement said.
The two countries agreed to strengthen their bilateral and
multilateral cooperation in various fields.
In the statement, both sides recalled the important achievements
made since Blair's visit to China last July, saying that the Task
Forces established during that visit, aimed at stepping up the
development of bilateral relations, "produced new proposals in
trade and investment, finance, energy, education, science and
technology, environment and sustainable development."
The statement said "the breadth and depth of China-UK relations
are illustrated" by the proposals and the ever increasing
cooperation between the two countries in environmental management
and protection, energy, nonproliferation, counter-terrorism and
combating organized crimes.
In order to consolidate the bilateral relationship, both sides
agree to increase the exchanges of high-level visits and reinforce
cooperation in fields such as strategic security and
nonproliferation, the statement said.
In the statement, released after the signing of a series of
memoranda of understanding during Wen's ongoing visit that started
on Sunday, the two sides also agreed to boost cooperation in trade
and investment in the future.
The statement also said Wen and Blair "had a friendly and open
exchanges of views on issues relating to Hong Kong."
They reaffirmed their governments' commitments to the
implementation of the Sino-UK Joint Declaration and agreed that it
is in the interests of both sides to maintain and promote Hong
Kong's prosperity and stability in accordance with the "One
Country, Two Systems" principle and the Basic Law.
"The UK reaffirms its consistent position on the question of
Taiwan as set out in the China-UK Communique of 1972, in which the
UK acknowledged the Chinese position that Taiwan is a province of
the People's Republic of China and recognized the Government of the
People's Republic of China as the sole legal government of China,"
the statement said.
Both China and Britain also reiterated their determination to
combat terrorism and to promote nonproliferation of nuclear
weapons.
Britain "welcomes China's commitment to nonproliferation and the
actions it has taken to that end" and "China's leading role in the
Six Party Talks on the nuclear issues on the Korean peninsular,"
the statement said.
The two sides also pledged to work together for the UN
Millennium Development Goals, including the elimination of poverty,
hunger, disease, environmental degradation, illiteracy and
discrimination against women.
The statement said both sides are committed to international
trade liberalization and will continue to advance the Doha
Development Agenda negotiations and work toward reaching a
framework agreement in 2004.
They also agreed to enhance mutual cooperation on protection of
intellectual property rights, share scientific and economic
experience to take forward both countries' efforts to achieve a low
carbon economy and sustainable development.
The statement also dealt with issues such as making concerted
efforts to help developing countries in addressing poverty,
maintaining world peace and security, the fight against AIDS and
sustainable development in Africa, among other topics.
(Xinhua News Agency May 11, 2004)