The new British Ambassador to China Caroline Wilson said the two countries should join hands to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic in a recent interview with China Media Group (CMG).
Speaking in Chinese, Wilson described the pandemic as a "global challenge," adding that it will not be over if there's even one remaining country with COVID-19 cases. She called for international cooperation to tackle the challenge.
Wilson, who took office as the UK's envoy to Beijing in September, said she had undergone a 14-day quarantine after her arrival in China. She believed the measure was "very important" because everyone needs to make some sacrifices to contain the virus.
A group of Chinese medical workers arrive in London to help the UK fight COVID-19, March 28, 2020. /Xinhua
As the world strives for economic recovery, the diplomat suggested that Britain and China could deepen cooperation on environmental protection to facilitate a "sustainable recovery."
She noted that next year the UK will host the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) and China will host the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15) in Kunming, calling on the two sides to jointly promote a "sustainable, inclusive recovery" of the world economy.
Wilson expressed appreciation for China's pledge to achieve carbon neutrality before 2060, hailing it a "very positive step."
Tourists view black-headed gulls at Dianchi Lake in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province, February 5, 2019. /Xinhua
There is also enormous potential for cooperation between Britain and China in the fields of poverty reduction and vaccine research, she added.
"The UK and China should join hands to support the poorest countries and help them improve their abilities to tackle the coronavirus outbreak," Wilson said.
"Both the UK and China are world leaders in vaccine research," she stressed. "It is very important to make sure these vaccines are available to the whole world."
Despite the fact that there are some differences between Britain and China, the envoy said bilateral relations are "extensive and intensive" and looked forward to setting an "ambitious agenda" to boost their cooperation on global public health, economic recovery, climate change and trade.
"The UK and China are also permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and members of the Group of 20, so we can cooperate more in these areas," she said, adding that she believes bilateral ties are promising.