BEIJING: Chinese language Premier Li Qiang on Sunday (Jul 7) congratulated new British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on his election, state media reported, the primary senior chief in Beijing to take action publicly.
China is “prepared to work with the brand new UK authorities to consolidate mutual political belief and increase mutually helpful cooperation”, Li instructed Starmer, in line with state information company Xinhua.
Their name got here after days of silence from high officers in Beijing, with the Chinese language international ministry saying solely that it famous the outcomes of the UK election.
By comparability, Chinese language chief Xi Jinping congratulated Iran’s incoming president Masoud Pezeshkian simply hours after his election on Saturday.
China was Britain’s fifth-largest buying and selling associate as of 2023, in line with the UK Division for Enterprise and Commerce.
However diplomatic relations between the 2 international locations have been icy in recent times, with Beijing and London sparring over tightening communist management in former British colony Hong Kong.
The 2 sides have additionally traded accusations of espionage, with Beijing saying final month that MI6 had recruited Chinese language state workers to spy for the UK.
Xinhua on Sunday stated Li instructed Starmer that the “strengthening of bilateral coordination and cooperation was within the pursuits of each side”.