Ambassador Zheng Zeguang said at the Symposium on the Centenary of the Founding of the Communist Party of China and China's Future Development that China and UK must focus on cooperation, handle differences properly and join hands to bring their relations back to the track of sound and steady development.

Ambassador Zheng said that today, the CPC is standing at a new historical starting point. China is embarking on a new journey of building a modern socialist country in a comprehensive way. The achievement of China's two centenary goals and the realization of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation will surely create broader space for the cooperation between China and the world, including the UK. China is an opportunity for UK's development, not a threat.

He hoped that the UK will seize the major trend of the times, keep in the right direction and work with China in the same direction forward. The two countries should earnestly implement the important agreements reached between their leaders. They must uphold the principles of mutual respect, equality and inclusiveness. And they must focus on cooperation, handle differences properly and join hands to bring China-UK relations back to the track of sound and steady development.

Ambassador Zheng said that China and the UK may have differences in history, culture and development stage. It is only natural that they do not always see eye to eye on every issue. It is crucial for them to respect each other's core interests and major concerns, and engage in dialogues on an equal footing in order to reduce misperception and build up consensus and mutual trust.

He added that there are huge potential and broad prospects for practical cooperation between China and the UK. Both sides should work vigorously to expand cooperation across the board, from trade and investment to infrastructure and financial services, and from science and technology to education and health care. They should also expand cultural and people-to-people exchanges. In doing so, they can certainly bring more and tangible gains to the peoples of our two countries.

He said that China and the UK have significant global influence. It is important that we enhance dialogues and coordination on global issues. If we can join hands in fighting the pandemic, promoting world economic recovery and tackling climate change, we would be able to make even greater contribution to world peace and common development.