Li Peng extended congratulations on the success of the meeting, which ended in Beijing earlier Tuesday, and hailed the better of the Sino-British relations in recent years. He added that Sino-British cooperation in scientific, educational, cultural and environmental protection has been increasing.

China and Britain, as two permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, have important roles in international affairs, Li said, adding that the two countries should become cooperative partners and safeguard world peace and development together. He reiterated that China is willing to work with Britain to push forward their relations in the 21st century.

He said that China's economy will continue to maintain good momentum in the next ten years, and China will focus on restructuring the economy and developing high-tech. He added that to fully develop China's western regions is a long-term plan, and it will take several generations to achieve the goal. In this course, China will try to reinforce infrastructure and improve the investment environment, and take advantage of local natural resources. A series of measures will be taken, including making efforts to improve education in western regions, to narrow the gap between eastern and western parts of the country and to achieve common prosperity, he said.

Former British Deputy Prime Minister Michael Heseltine, one of the co-chairmen of the meeting, said that Britain places great importance on developing relations with China, and the British representatives will continue their efforts to promote bilateral relations.

(Xinhua 10/18/2000)