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Xi and Burnham Discuss Boosting Economic Ties in First Call

Published: Sep. 9, 2026 2:08 a.m. GMT+8

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Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke with British Prime Minister Andy Burnham by phone on the evening of Sept. 8. Photo: VCG

Chinese President Xi Jinping and new British Prime Minister Andy Burnham pledged to expand economic cooperation and stabilize bilateral relations during their first official phone call on Tuesday.

Xi congratulated Burnham on his appointment, emphasizing that mutual interests between the two nations outweigh their differences, according to the official Xinhua News Agency.

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Xi Jinping and new UK PM Andy Burnham held their first official call, pledging to expand economic cooperation and stabilize ties.
Xi promised to open sectors like education, healthcare, and finance to foreign investment during China's 15th Five-Year Plan.
Both leaders supported multilateralism and open trade, with Burnham reaffirming the UK's unchanged stance on Taiwan.

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Who’s Who

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What Happened When

July 20, 2026：: Andy Burnham took office as Prime Minister, succeeding Keir Starmer as Labour Party leader.

Tuesday, September 8, 2026：: First official phone call between Chinese President Xi Jinping and British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, held at Burnham's request, focusing on expanding economic cooperation and stabilizing bilateral relations.

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