On 2 December 2013, Premier Li Keqiang of the State Council and UK Prime Minister David Cameron jointly met the press at the Great Hall of the People.
Li Keqiang introduced the main outcomes of China-UK Prime Ministers' Annual Meeting. He said that this significant meeting was held against the backdrop that China-UK comprehensive strategic partnership will soon enter the tenth year. Both sides agreed that China and the UK should, based on the principles of mutual respect and equal treatment, ensure the healthy stable development of bilateral relations. The UK side reaffirmed respect of China's territorial and sovereign integrity, adherence to the one-China policy and respect of China's core interests and major concerns. The Chinese side expressed appreciation for this.
Li Keqiang pointed out that both China and the UK are major economies in the world as well as important forces in the international community. The strategic convergence and common interests between the two countries are expanding unceasingly and bilateral relations not only concern the well-being of their respective peoples, but will also have significant global impact. Under the new situation, the strategic, reciprocal and global nature of China-UK relations is increasingly prominent. China is ready to work with the UK to be partners of economic common growth, political mutual respect and mutual trust as well as cultural exchanges and common progress, to push forward trade and investment liberalization and facilitation and to oppose trade protectionism so as to unceasingly add new contents to China-UK comprehensive strategic partnership. Hope China-UK cooperation will constantly accelerate on the track like a high-speed train to better benefit both peoples and to promote global peace and development.
Cameron expressed that UK-China relations are of strategic and global significance. China's development is an opportunity to the UK and to the world at large. The two countries should understand, respect and support each other, open markets to each other, jointly oppose trade protectionism, expand mutually beneficial cooperation in all fields, strengthen people-to-people and cultural exchanges and keep close cooperation in international and regional affairs. The UK is ready to work with China to accelerate bilateral relations so as to yield more outcomes and to jointly push for greater development of UK-China, EU-China relations.