2018年CRI China-UK partnership brings more growth opportunities: ambassador（在线收听）

Britain's ambassador to China is suggesting bilateral trade and economic cooperation will top British Prime Minister Theresa May's agenda this week as part of her visit to China.

Barbara Woodward, Britain's ambassador in China, says expanding the 'golden era partnership' with China will be Theresa May's main priority.

"The Golden era is announced by Chinese president Xi Jinping when he came to London on his state visit in 2015. And we have been building and deepening our relationship with China ever since then. And I think we think in particular of three areas of cooperation with China. first of all we have strengthened and deepened our trade relationship. British exports to China have grown by 60.6 percent since 2010 and last year trade grew 30 percent year on year. So I'm very pleased with our trade relationship."

Britain is China's second-largest trading partner within the European Union.

China is Britain's second largest non-EU trading partner.

Official stats show trade volumes between the two countries hit 79 billion U.S. dollars last year, up around 6 percent year-on-year.

The ambassador is suggesting the Brexit will not affect bilateral ties, and may enhance trade opportunities for Chinese companies, as Britain will have more leeway on decisions connected to trade and investment partnerships.

And she adds that as China becomes more open, its market will generate more business opportunities for foreign investors.

"And we see potential for a lot more trade in a world of free and open trading regime with the opportunities that the UK leaving the European Union will bring and also the opportunities that president Xi Jinping announcement that China will continue to open up to International trade and of course the announcement that they would start with financial services last year. So we are excited about the opportunities to continue to deepen our trading relationship with China."

The ambassador adds the two sides have been working well together on global challenges including climate change and global security.

"Other areas of global cooperation of course include climate change where president Xi Jinping has been very clear and in his support China has taken an extensive measures and we all benefited with the blue sky here in Beijing helping that. We work together on other country hot spots of course including Afghanistan Pakistan we are working on counter terrorism together with China."

British Prime Minister Theresa May will meet with senior Chinese leaders in Beijing on an official visit from Wednesday to Friday.

She will also travel to Shanghai and Wuhan.

May is travelling to China with a business delegation covering a wide range of sectors.