Yuan Jiajun (2nd R, front), a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the secretary of the CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee, attends a roundtable meeting between leading Chinese (Chongqing) and British enterprises, in London, Britain, June 23, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Ying)

LONDON, June 23 (Xinhua) -- Yuan Jiajun, a senior Communist Party of China (CPC) official, led a party delegation to visit Britain on Sunday and Monday at the invitation of the British government.

Yuan, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and the secretary of the CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee, met with British National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell, attended a roundtable meeting between leading Chinese (Chongqing) and British enterprises, and held talks with Nicholas Lyons, lord mayor of the City of London, and Sherard Cowper-Coles, chair of the China-Britain Business Council, among others.

Yuan said that under the strategic guidance of Chinese President Xi Jinping and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, China-Britain relations are developing with a good momentum.

China is ready to work with Britain to uphold the positioning of the two countries as strategic partners, further strengthen dialogue and cooperation, enhance strategic communication, deepen political mutual trust, jointly meet challenges, and continuously expand practical cooperation in economy and trade, science and technology, people-to-people exchanges, local affairs and other fields, to jointly promote a stable and mutually beneficial China-Britain relationship, Yuan said.

Chongqing is willing to leverage its strengths in industrial foundation, its role as a comprehensive hub and its status as a mega-city to deepen exchanges and cooperation with Britain in areas such as intelligent manufacturing, trade and logistics, financial services and urban governance, contributing local strength to further advancing China-Britain relations, Yuan said.

The British side said that the Britain-China relationship is of strategic significance and the cooperation between the two sides is conducive to world peace and development. The British side stands ready to enhance exchanges with China, deepen cooperation in such areas as economy and trade, science and technology, investment, education, and jointly safeguard multilateralism and the free trade system.

During the visit, Yuan also met with executives from Jardine Matheson and other business representatives.

During the meeting, he elaborated on China's high-quality development and reform measures, and highlighted new opportunities brought by deepening reforms and high-level opening-up.

He also paid visits to the City of London, Battersea Power Station and Canary Wharf. ■