The embassy of the United Kingdom in Beijing on Wednesday held a reception marking the 35th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic ties at the ambassador level.

Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui was invited to the reception.

Zhang and William Ehrman, the UK ambassador in Beijing, hailed the development of the China-UK ties and cooperation in various fields, according to a statement posted on the official website of the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

They said the two countries will seize the current golden opportunities and boost the China-UK strategic partnership, the statement said.

China and the UK forged the diplomatic ties at the level of charge d'affaires on June 17, 1954.

The relationship was upgraded to ambassador-level diplomatic ties on March 13, 1972.

(Xinhua News Agency March 29, 2007)