President Hu Jintao  and UK Prime Minister Tony Blair met at No.10 Downing Street on Wednesday, and Xinhua News Agency said today that they reached a vital consensus on promoting their existing comprehensive strategic partnership.

Hu said the establishment of the partnership in 2004 ushered in a new stage of development of bilateral relations. Since then, the two sides have sustained high-level political dialogue and consultation on sustainable development, and trade and economic cooperation has yielded new results and the two countries have maintained good coordination and collaboration, he said.

Blair said Hu's visit would push forward overall cooperation between the two countries, and that his own visit to China in September has reassured him that China's rapid development is not a threat, but an important opportunity.

Hu reiterated that China attaches great importance to relations with the UK, and that the two countries should regard their relationship with a long-term and strategic perspective.

Political dialogue and cooperation on global issues such as sustainable development, poverty alleviation, climate change and free trade should also be enhanced within the multi-lateral framework of the UN, WTO and Asia-Europe Meeting, Hu said.

On China-EU relations, Hu said a closer overall strategic partnership is of major significance to world peace, stability and prosperity. "We hope to see the European Union playing a more important role on issues pertaining to Europe and the world as a whole."

Blair said the EU attaches much importance to its relations with China, and will make further efforts to address China's concerns.

After the meeting, Hu and Blair attended the signing ceremony of the joint communiqué of the fifth meeting of the Sino-British Trade and Investment Joint Committee and aviation cooperation documents.

State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan and Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott were also present at the meeting.

(Xinhua News Agency November 10, 2005)