The political, economic, and socio-cultural landscape of the world is changing, so too are governments around the globe adjusting to the tides. Both China and UK are global players of significant importance. With the start of a new year, Vice-Premier Li Keqiang concluded a four-day official visit to the United Kingdom, December 12.
According to China daily, Vice-Premier Li Keqiang arrived in Scotland on Sunday, starting his four-day visit to the United Kingdom aimed at boosting mutual political and trade ties. Li is the first senior leader of China to visit the country since the coalition government led by David Cameron took power in May.
China-UK relations have witnessed ups and downs – although the UK was the first Western country to recognize the People’s Republic of China when it was founded in 1949. The two countries established formal diplomatic relations in 1972; and since then, China and the UK have seen their bilateral ties gradually improve, despite some periodical turbulence. Particularly noteworthy is that in the year 1997, the two nations saw through the smooth return of Hong Kong’s sovereignty to Mainland China.
During Vice premier’s stay in Britain, he met with British Prime Minister Cameron, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne and Foreign Secretary William Hague.
During the visit, China and the UK signed joint investment agreements and business deals worth about 2.6 billion pounds or 4 billion US Dollars. Both countries are working hard at getting more closer to each other.
The Chinese and British economies are both dynamic and highly complementary to each other. Cooperation and competition coexist in the bilateral economic and trade relations. The recent years have not only witnessed a considerable surge in investments on both sides, but a year-on-year expansion in exchanges and communications, education and culture.
The visit by Chinese Vice Premier to the UK follows that of British Prime Minister David Cameron to China in 2010, was another opportunity for both countries to deepen bilateral relations.