Xi speaks with UK PM, ROK president-elect

Sitting leaders discuss forward-moving trend in bilateral ties over past 50 years

China is willing to carry out dialogue and cooperation with the United Kingdom in a candid, open and inclusive manner and hopes that the UK will view China and the bilateral relationship with objectivity and fairness, President Xi Jinping said in a phone conversation with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday.

Xi said that the China-UK ties have generally kept moving forward, despite some obstacles, since the two countries established ambassadorial diplomatic relations 50 years ago, with bilateral trade volume now exceeding $100 billion.

The two countries also made contributions to addressing the common challenges faced by mankind through coordination on such issues as global development and climate change, he said.

Noting that China and the UK differ in national conditions and development paths, Xi said the two sides should keep in mind the strategic importance of ties in the long run, respect each other, strengthen communications and expand mutually beneficial cooperation with openness and inclusiveness.

According to a news release issued by the Foreign Ministry, Johnson said in the phone call that the UK-China relationship is of considerable importance and the two countries share common interests on many issues and could cooperate on many matters.

The UK stands ready to have a candid dialogue with China, advance exchanges and cooperation, expand trade and economic cooperation and deepen communication and coordination on global issues and regional hot-spot issues, he said.

The two leaders also exchanged views on the Ukraine situation. Xi stressed that the international community should create conditions for the political settlement of the Ukraine issue and China is willing to play a constructive role to this end.

On Friday, Xi also talked by telephone with Republic of Korea president-elect Yoon Suk-yeol, saying that facts have shown the China-ROK relationship not only benefits the two countries and their peoples but also facilitates regional peace and stability.

Xi said that thanks to the joint efforts of both sides, bilateral ties have experienced comprehensive and rapid development and the two countries have become strategic cooperative partners.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the ROK.

Xi called on the two countries to take the 30th anniversary as an opportunity to strengthen political mutual trust and enhance people-to-people friendship so as to promote stable development of the bilateral relationship over the long run.

The Chinese president also underlined the responsibility China and the ROK shoulder in safeguarding regional peace and boosting global prosperity at a time when the international community is faced with multiple challenges.

China stands ready to work with the ROK to strengthen international and regional cooperation, make positive contributions to ensuring the stable and smooth global industry and supply chains, and safeguard the United Nations-centered international system and the international order based on international law to build a more fair and reasonable global governance system, Xi said.

Yoon congratulated China for the remarkable progress achieved under the leadership of Xi and said that the huge achievements in bilateral cooperation in all fields over the past 30 years have brought concrete benefits to the people of China and the ROK.

He said that strengthened China-ROK cooperation will help the two countries realize their respective development goals, benefit their peoples and contribute to peace and stability in the Northeast Asian region.

The ROK is willing to keep close high-level exchanges with China, advance mutual trust, promote people-to-people friendship and bring forward the ROK-China relationship to a higher level, Yoon said.

Yoon won the presidential election earlier this month and is scheduled to be sworn in as ROK president on May 10.

Yoon's spokeswoman, Kim Eunhye, said on Thursday that the need to speak with Xi arose because of the close coordination with China on issues related to the Asia-Pacific region and Korean Peninsula and the new ROK-China relationship that the president-elect plans to establish.