Beijing, Feb. 2 (IANS): British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Friday that despite Brexit, her country's bilateral ties with China have been growing stronger.
May, on her first official trip to China since taking office in 2016, reaffirmed the importance of ushering in a new era of relations with Beijing at a forum in Shanghai, attended by Chinese business tycoons like Jack Ma, the founder and executive chairman of the Alibaba Group, Efe news reported.
She met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday and affirmed that the "golden age" of bilateral relations between the two countries did not derail despite Brexit.
"As I've travelled around China over the last few days, I've seen that we have the potential to do so much more together," said May, hours before ending her three-day visit.
The two countries signed trade agreements worth 9 billion pounds during the British leader's visit.
"Trade between our nations is worth almost 60 billion pounds and rising. Chinese investment is helping the UK develop infrastructure and create jobs. Nearly 50,000 British businesses import goods from China, while more than 10,000 sell their goods to customers here," she said.
"I've talked a lot with my Chinese counterparts about this growing partnership between our two countries but it's important to recognize that it isn't just about governments. It's about businesses. About people. About bringing the UK and China closer together so that we can all share the benefits of growth," May added.
