China, UK hold forum in Beijing

UK-China collaboration has reached new heights, with a wave of new agreements at the 2014 UK-China High Level People to People Dialogue held on Wednesday.

With the theme of this year's dialogue "Shared Futures" in education, health, culture, media, science, youth and sport, the dialogue was co-chaired by Secretary of State for Health Jeremy Hunt MP and Chinese Vice-Premier Liu Yandong at the Diaoyutai State Guest House in Beijing.

"The UK-China High Level People to People Dialogue gives our two nations the chance to meet our shared interests and ambitions by creating a world of new opportunities for exchange and partnerships between people in our two countries," said Sir Martin Davidson, chief executive of the British Council. "It is all about building trust and that means how well we in the UK understand China, as well as how well we are understood here."

The High Level People to People Dialogue is a key pillar in the UK-China relationship: it provides a forum to celebrate ties between the two peoples, and a platform from which to drive greater cooperation and ambition.

The UK is one of the first three countries to have a People to People Dialogue with China, signifying the value and importance of the core people aspects of the UK-China relationship.

The number and range of the exchange programs is staggering. The signed work includes the new UK-China Film Co-Production Treaty, a framework agreement for strengthening UK-China collaboration in education over the next three years.

The dialogue also saw an agreement between the All-China Youth Federation and the Great Britain China Centre on training for young leaders and the building of a new alumni network; and a partnership between the National Theatre of Great Britain and the National Theatre of China.

"From education to the arts, from science to sport, the UK and China are natural partners. By providing the best opportunities for our people to come together and share ideas and expertise, we can, and we will, prosper together," Hunt said.