国内英语新闻:Chinese, British officials call for enhancing bilateral cooperation

LONDON, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- British firms are welcome to invest in China and achieve mutual benefit and win-win in the bilateral cooperation, said a senior Chinese trade official in London on Monday.

Speaking at a seminar on China's opening-up and globalization, Zhong Shan, Chinese vice minister of commerce, said China and Britain are very complementary in economy.

"Britain boasts rich experience in developing service industry and technical innovation, while China, as an emerging big trade and investment country, has released strong potential of market need, posing great prospects of cooperation between the two countries," he said.

He suggested several areas which the two countries are particularly needed to enhance cooperation, such as high-end manufacturing, infrastructure investment, low-carbon and green economy, and small and medium-size enterprises.

Zhong described Britain as an important economic and trade partner in Europe, projecting the two countries' bilateral trade will exceed 100 billion U.S. dollars.

The two-way trade between China and Britain surged 17 percent in 2011, with British exports to China jumping 29 percent on the basis of 40 percent increase in 2010.

Martin Donnelly, permanent secretary of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, stressed the importance of partnership between the two countries, especially in the field of economy and trade.

He said that the rise of China is the most important change in the world in the late 20th century.