Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to Britain has opened a "golden era" of bilateral relations and a new chapter of China-West exchanges, said Foreign Minister Wang Yi. [Special coverage]
Speaking to reporters before the trip concluded on Saturday, Wang added that the fruitful results of the landmark trip once again demonstrated the bright prospects of Xi's idea of building a new model of international relations with win-win cooperation at its core.
GOLDEN TIME HERALDED BY XI'S VISIT
The Chinese president's first state visit to Britain has promoted the all-around development of bilateral ties, ushered in the "golden time" for China-Britain strategic partnership, injected fresh impetus for cooperation between the Asian giant and Europe, and created a new chapter for the communication between the Chinese civilization with the West, Wang said.
Noting that both countries have made important contributions to the civilization of all mankind, Wang said that promoting the bilateral ties is now the consensus of both governments and both peoples.
After Xi and the British Prime Minister David Cameron held several rounds of talks, China and Britain already embarked on a new journey -- "a golden era in their relations featuring enduring, inclusive and win-win cooperation," the Chinese minister said.
BREAKTHROUGHS IN XI'S VISIT
Many significant breakthroughs in China-Britain relations as well as in China-Europe relations have been made over the past five days, Wang said.
Earlier on Friday, China and Britain issued a joint declaration on building a "global comprehensive strategic partnership for the 21st century."
The minister commended that the new definition of bilateral ties reflects both countries are enthusiastically expecting to achieve win-win cooperation with each other.
In the declaration, the two sides pledged joint efforts in fields ranging from RMB internationalization and the free trade talks between China and the European Union to cyber security and climate change.
The two sides also vowed to enhance bilateral trade and investment and strengthen political trust based on equality and mutual respect.
Britain "welcomes the progressive participation of Chinese companies in its civil nuclear energy projects," says the declaration, issued one day after Chinese and French companies signed an agreement to cooperate in the building of a nuclear power plant at Hinkley Point in southwestern England.
All the agreements have brought the bilateral ties up to a new level. The declaration has pointed out the new directions for the long-term comprehensive cooperation between China and Britain and offered a beautiful blue print for bilateral ties, Wang added.
ELEVATED RELATIONS EXEMPLARY FOR ALL COUNTRIES
The China-Britain cooperation is now gaining more significance in China-Europe cooperation and even, Asia-Europe cooperation, Wang said.
Britain is an influential member of the EU, the Chinese minister noted, adding that as Xi's visit elevated the China-Britain ties, the cooperation between China and other EU countries has also been facilitated.
Moreover, both as permanent members of the Security Council and important world powers, the bilateral relationship between China and Britain also plays an exemplary role for all countries, Wang said.
"The two sides recognize the global significance and strategic importance of stronger China-UK relations in promoting global peace, stability and prosperity," the aforementioned joint declaration said.
During his meeting with the British prime minister, Xi pointed out that the relationship between the two countries is now much more than bilateral but of strategic significance and global influence.
The new development of China-Britain relations echoes Xi's proposal of a "new type of international relations," which was brought up when the Chinese leader gave a speech at UN general debate this September.
The new type of international relations, as Xi said, features win-win cooperation and creates a community of common destiny for mankind.
And the newly-forged global comprehensive strategic partnership for the 21st century between China and Britain has become a paragon for the new type of international relations, Wang said.
