China-Britain 'global' partnership sealed with declaration, personal bonds

President Xi Jinping (L) and British Prime Minister David Cameron meet media after their talks at No 10 Downing Street in London, Oct 21, 2015. [Photo/Xinhua]

LONDON - China and Britain issued Thursday a joint declaration on building a "global comprehensive strategic partnership for the 21st Century," and visiting President Xi Jinping is adding personal chemistry to cement the ties.

The declaration specified the bilateral relations with pledges of joint efforts in fields ranging from the internationalization of China's currency RMB and China-European Union (EU) free trade to cyber security and climate change.

Xi's visit to Britain, the first one by a Chinese president in a decade, was hailed to have opened a "golden era" in China-Britain relations featuring enduring, inclusive and win-win cooperation.

"The two sides recognize the global significance and strategic importance of stronger China-UK relations in promoting global peace, stability and prosperity," the declaration said.

The two sides will enhance trade and investment as well as political trust based on equality and mutual respect, it said.

Britain "welcomes the progressive participation of Chinese companies in its civil nuclear energy projects," it said, one day after Chinese and French companies signed an agreement to build a British nuclear power plant at Hinkley Point in southwestern England.

British Prime Minister David Cameron described the deal as "historic" as the project, with the Chinese side taking a one-third stake, would provide reliable, affordable energy to nearly 6 million homes and create more than 25,000 jobs.

Both sides have a strong interest in cooperating on each other's major initiatives, namely China's "Belt and Road" Initiative and Britain's National Infrastructure Plan and the Northern Powerhouse. They will further discuss a "China-UK infrastructure alliance," said the declaration.

Britain reassured its supports to the inclusion of RMB into the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) special drawing rights (SDR) basket.

Both sides support the Shanghai Stock Exchange and the London Stock Exchange to carry out a feasibility study on a stock connection, according to the declaration.

The two countries call for the swift launch of a joint feasibility study for a China-EU Free Trade Agreement.

They would also establish a high-level security dialogue, with both sides agreeing not to conduct or support cyber-enabled theft of intellectual property, trade secrets or confidential business information, the declaration said.

Multilateral cooperation would be increased to tackle the conditions that give rise to terrorism and extremism, it added.

Full text: China-UK Joint Declaration on Building a Global Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for the 21st Century