Joint Statement from Government of the People's Republic of China & Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
18 Jun 2014 11:41 AM
Statement by Government
of the People's Republic of China & Government of the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
I. At the invitation of the Rt
Hon David Cameron MP, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland, H.E. Premier Li Keqiang of the State Council of the
People’s Republic of China paid an official visit to the UK from 16 to 19
June 2014 and held the Annual Prime Ministers’ Meeting. The two sides had
in-depth discussions on bilateral relations, practical cooperation in various
fields and international and regional issues of mutual interest. Both sides
underlined that since the establishment of the China-UK comprehensive strategic
partnership ten years ago, bilateral relations have made significant progress,
with frequent political exchanges and substantial cooperation in economics,
trade, education, climate change and energy, science, technology and culture.
As P5 members, both sides believe that deepening China-UK relations is not only
in the fundamental interests of both countries but is also conducive to
maintaining world peace and stability. They agreed to work together to push
forward bilateral cooperation in growth, reform and innovation.
II.As such the UK and China have
agreed that their comprehensive, strategic partnership has become an
indispensable element of each other’s foreign policy agendas. As
comprehensive strategic partners, China and the UK view each other’s
development as important opportunities. Both sides agreed to increase
high-level visits in order to guide the development of bilateral relations.
Both sides spoke highly of the important role of high-level exchange
mechanisms, including the Annual Prime Ministers’ Meeting, Economic and
Financial Dialogue (EFD), High-Level People-to-People Dialogue and Strategic
Dialogue, and agreed to further enrich their formats and contents. Both sides
agreed to hold the sixth round of the Economic and Financial Dialogue in the
middle of September this year in the UK.
III. Both sides agreed that
reform and innovation are of high significance to the economic and social
development of a country. The UK side takes note of decisions taken during the
3rd Plenum of the 18th CPC Central Committee in November 2013 regarding
comprehensively deepening reform, supports China’s efforts in deepening
economic structural reform to have the market play a decisive role in resource
allocation and promote sustained, sound economic and social development. Both
sides will designate relevant think tanks in co-hosting the China-UK Reform and
Innovation Forum.
IV. Both sides are committed to
an open global economy, trade liberalisation and stand ready to expand economic
and trade cooperation and promote development in each other’s markets.
They renewed their commitment to the joint target of $100 billion by
2015.
V. Both sides stressed the
importance of mutual investment in promoting respective long-term economic
growth and employment and spoke highly of the MOU on Strengthening Bilateral
Investment Cooperation signed by China’s National Development and Reform
Commission and the UK’s Department of Business, Innovation and Skills.
The MOU on Establishment of a Working Group on Investment Promotion under the
Framework of China-UK Joint Commission signed by China’s Ministry of
Commerce and the UK’s Department of Business, Innovation and Skills aims
at promoting mutual investment, providing a favorable external environment for
business investment from the other party and maintaining policy continuity to
protect the interests of foreign investors. The Chinese side encourages and
supports capable Chinese companies to invest in the UK, which will in turn
support the expansion of Chinese companies in other advanced markets and the UK
side recognises Chinese companies’ increasing investment in the UK in
recent years, and welcomes their continuous investment in infrastructure
sectors such as transportation and energy, particularly nuclear, high-speed
rail, offshore wind power and photovoltaic projects.
VI. Both sides recognised the
complementary skills and expertise of both countries in delivering affordable,
efficient and sustainable infrastructure, and welcomed progress in working
together. Both sides agreed to establish a strategic partnership on
infrastructure and committed to working together to support further
collaboration between UK and Chinese companies, on more projects.
VII. Both governments agreed
that energy collaboration was a key pillar of the bilateral relationship. This
collaboration supports the clean and low carbon energy transition and is
conducive to affordable and secure energy supplies for the future. In this
regard, both sides welcomed the cooperation on civil nuclear energy and signing
of a joint statement on civil nuclear power. Both sides welcomed Chinese and UK
companies’ participation in civil energy projects in each other’s
country. The UK welcomed Chinese investment and progressive participation in
the construction of new build nuclear energy projects in the UK, and was open
to Chinese companies leading the development of other nuclear power station
site(s) in the UK and the potential deployment of Chinese reactor technology in
the UK, subject to meeting the stringent requirements of the UK’s
independent regulators. Both countries recognised that companies entering into
the UK through partnership would be in the best position later to maximise the
growing opportunities that will be on offer in the UK nuclear market. Both
sides stand ready to work together to ensure the success of Hinkley Point as
soon as possible. Both sides welcomed the signing of an agreement to
collaborate further in the field of nuclear fuel supply-chain and agreed to
work together to strengthen cooperation in areas including waste treatment and
decommissioning.
VIII. Both sides agreed to
promote substantive co-operation between the UK and China on rail (including
high-speed rail), in areas including design, engineering, construction, supply
operation and maintenance, on projects in China and the UK. To this end both
sides welcomed the MOU on Collaboration in the Field of Rail
Transportation.
IX. Both sides will strengthen
concrete cooperation in offshore wind power technology, installation standards
and financing mechanisms and jointly consider establishing a training center
for offshore wind power technologies according to the MOU between China and the
UK on Offshore Wind Power Cooperation.
X. Both sides welcome a greater
role of RMB in international trade and investment and the establishment of an
RMB clearing bank in London. The UK regulatory authorities have agreed to
consider applications from Chinese banks to set up branches for wholesale
business in the UK; the UK also encourages Chinese companies to issue
RMB-denominated bonds at the London Stock Exchange. Both sides welcome the
strong growth of London’s RMB markets, making London one of the most
active RMB centres in the world, and stand ready to work together to strengthen
it. Both sides welcome direct transaction between RMB and Pound Sterling in
their respective foreign exchange markets.
XI. Both sides agreed to
continue and deepen the already outstanding cooperation between the UK and
China in promoting free trade, strengthen cooperation on the China (Shanghai)
Free Trade Zone, and to encourage two-way trade and investment.
XII. Both sides welcomed their
strong cooperation on people-centred and holistic urbanisation. In particular,
both sides agreed to increase policy exchange and technological collaboration
on low carbon urban planning, air and water pollution control, and healthcare
development and reforms. Both sides welcomed the signing of the MOU on
Strengthening Cooperation on Green and Low Carbon Urbanisation.
XIII. Both sides agreed to step
up cooperation in aerospace and maritime development.
XIV. Both sides welcome the
growing UK-China collaboration on healthcare development and reform.
XV. The UK agrees to work to
promote and facilitate bilateral high-tech trade with China for civil end uses
and civil end users.
XVI. Both sides agree on the
importance of effective intellectual property (IP) protection to stimulate
innovation and economic development. Both sides will work together to help
British companies protect IP in China and Chinese companies protect IP in the
UK. Both sides welcome cooperation activities between relevant agencies and
agree to further exchanges on issues of mutual interest in terms of global IP
frameworks.
XVII. Both sides agreed to
further promote people-to-people exchange and cooperation to deepen mutual
understanding and perception between the two peoples. The two sides agreed to
set 2015 as a year of UK-China cultural exchange: the first half of the year
for the UK season of culture in China; the second half of the year for the
Chinese season of culture in the UK. The two sides would cooperate closely in
this regard.
XVIII. Both sides see great
value in cooperation between institutions of higher learning, primary and
secondary schools, as well as exchanges among students and researchers, will
deepen cooperation in higher education, technical, vocational and professional
education, scientific research and innovation, and push forward Mandarin
teaching in the UK and English teaching in China. China will send 10,000
government-sponsored students and scholars to the UK in the next five years,
and the UK will send 80,000 students to China for study by 2020. Both sides
welcome intern students from the other party.
XIX. Both sides attach
importance to the China-UK Joint Scientific Innovation Fund, and will enable
research and innovation in key areas which are priorities for both countries:
health, environmental technologies, food and water, urbanisation, energy and
education. The UK and China recognised their role as global leaders in science
and innovation and stressed the importance of substantial investment in large
scale facilities for pioneering research and future technologies. Both sides
welcomed the launch of the program which will deliver Fellowships, PhD
Partnerships, Science and Innovation Bridges and a Climate Science Partnership.
China agreed to join the UK to promote the Square Kilometre Array.
XX. Both sides agreed to promote
exchange and cooperation on cultural and creative industries, press and
publication, radio, film and television. Both sides agreed to promote the
translation of each other’s contemporary literary classics.
XXI. China and the UK will
establish Consulates General in Belfast and Wuhan respectively, and both sides
will provide assistance to each other in this regard. Both sides agreed to
jointly push forward negotiations on the bilateral consular treaty. Both sides
agreed to adopt active measures to streamline and simplify visa application
procedures for closer interaction between the two peoples and the development
of tourism.
XXII. Both sides will promote
early ratification of the Agreement between China and the UK on Mutual Legal
Assistance in Criminal Matters by their legislative bodies to enhance the
efficiency in their joint efforts in fighting crime. Both sides agreed to
strengthen cooperation in fighting illegal migration as provided for in the
2004 Migration MOU. Both sides will strengthen cooperation in judicial and law
enforcement.
XXIII. Both sides stand ready to
deepen understanding of each other’s development paths and strengthen
political trust. Both sides emphasise the importance of promoting and
protecting human rights and the rule of law and stand ready to strengthen their
human rights dialogue on the basis of equality and mutual respect. In line with
its longstanding policy, the UK recognises that Tibet is part of the
People’s Republic of China and does not support Tibetan independence.
Both sides agreed it is both in China and the UK’s interests to promote
the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong in accordance with the “one
country, two systems” principle and the basic law.
XXIV. Both sides attach high
importance to deepening the China-EU Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and
welcome the Joint Statement of Deepening the China-EU Comprehensive Strategic
Partnership for Mutual Benefit published during Chinese President Xi
Jinping’s visit to Europe. Both sides are committed to working
continuously to implement the EU-China 2020 Strategic Agenda, promote EU-China
cooperation and take concrete actions to forge the EU-China partnership for
peace, growth, reform and civilisation. Both sides support negotiations for an
EU-China investment agreement to lift pragmatic cooperation to a new level, in
particular, to facilitate mutually beneficial access to each other’s
investment and services markets. Both sides reaffirm their commitment to the
long term goal of an ambitious and comprehensive EU China free trade agreement,
in accordance with the EU-China 2020 Strategic Agenda. In support of this goal,
the two sides support China and the EU in launching a joint feasibility study
on an EU-China trade agreement as early as possible when conditions are right.
To begin exploring the associated issues, both sides participated in a
productive academic and business workshop on Prospects for EU-China Trade: the
EU-China Free Trade Agreement and China’s Free Trade Zones.
XXV. The international situation
is undergoing profound and complex changes. Both sides agreed that as major
countries with global influence and permanent members of the UN Security
Council, their close cooperation is conducive to tackling the global challenges
of the 21st century. Both sides will make active contribution to international
peace, security and development in accordance with the UN Charter and
international law.
XXVI. Both sides stand ready to
strengthen international cooperation at the bilateral and multilateral level
and under the China-EU framework and will adhere to the principle of peaceful
settlement of international and regional disputes through dialogue and on the
basis of the UN Charter and international law. We will work actively to promote
the peaceful resolution of the Iranian nuclear issue, the North Korean nuclear
issue, Ukraine, Syria, Middle East, Afghanistan and other hot-spot issues. The
two sides will maintain regular exchanges on climate change, international
development, counter proliferation, food security and other global challenges,
and strengthen coordination and cooperation on UN peacekeeping missions. Both
sides welcomed constructive and frank discussions of cyber issues through the
UK-China Cyber Dialogue. The UK and China agree on the importance of ending the
use of sexual violence as a weapon of war worldwide.
XXVII. Both sides are committed
to a post-2015 development framework centered on the eradication of poverty and
promotion of common growth. Both sides stand ready to strengthen cooperation on
supporting development and security in Africa. Both sides welcomed their
collaboration on global health issues.
XXVIII. Both sides welcomed the
Joint Statement on Climate Change released during the summit. The UK and China
both recognise the clear imperative to work together towards a global framework
for ambitious climate change action, since this will support efforts to bring
about low carbon transitions in our own countries, and agreed to strengthen
policy dialogue and practical cooperation.
XXIX. Both sides are ready to
make joint efforts for the strong, balanced and sustainable growth of global
economy, maintain and consolidate the multilateral trade systems represented by
WTO, and oppose protectionism of any form. Both sides support the G20 as the
premier forum for international economic cooperation, and will work for an open
world economy and a positive and result-oriented comprehensive growth strategy
to be announced on the G20 Brisbane Summit.
XXX. Both sides agreed to
promote cultural harmony, cherish the diversity and richness of different
cultures, and promote dialogue and mutual learning among cultures to share the
progress of human civilisation.
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