British PM seeking more ambitious trade ties with China: ambassador

BEIJING - British Prime Minister Theresa May is seeking a "more ambitious" trade relationship on her first state visit to China, which kicked off Wednesday, the British ambassador to China said.

Barbara Woodward, the ambassador, told Chinese media that Britain is pleased with its healthy relationship with China, and is excited about the opportunities ahead.

May, who began her three-day visit with the city of Wuhan in central China, is heading a delegation of over 50 leaders of British business and commercial organizations.

Woodward said Britain's commitment to its "golden era partnership" with China "has remained constant, steadfast and steady" despite "a lot of shifts around the world" since Britain decided to leave the European Union (EU).

The envoy said May's trip, the first state visit since the prime minister took office in 2016, will push forward Britain's strategic partnership with China.

In October 2015, the two countries agreed to embrace a "golden era" of relations during Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Britain.

"The good thing about the golden era partnership is that it is flexible and adaptable," Woodward said, calling it future-oriented and with a global feature.

The ambassador pointed out that Britain's exit from the EU means that Britain will be free to make its own decisions about its trade and investment partnerships.

Hailing bilateral trade relations, she pointed out that British exports to China have grown by 60 percent since 2010, and two-way trade grew 30 percent year on year in 2017.

May's visit seeks to accommodate the two countries' development strategies and strengthen cooperation in such fields as finance, education, food, health, medicine and life science, Woodward said.