Chinese President Xi Jinping and British Prime Minister David Cameron pose for photographs for the media before their meeting at 10 Downing Street in London on Wednesday. Photo: AP

Chinese President Xi Jinping called for "deeper practical cooperation on all levels" between China in the UK in London on Wednesday, as China is poised to build a global comprehensive partnership with Britain.

Speaking at a joint press conference at 10 Downing Street with British Prime Minister David Cameron, Xi expressed "heartfelt gratitude" for the warm welcome he had received in the UK.

Xi called for "deeper practical cooperation at all levels" and for a "golden era" to be opened up between the two countries. The Telegraph reported.

As expected, the Hinkley Point nuclear power plant deal was announced, with Xi saying that it will be a "flagship" project for the two nations.

A pact on commercial cyber theft was also sealed, Cameron said.

Cameron said that the UK will be "the partner of choice for China in the West," and that the two should seize these opportunities as both nations are global powers with global outlooks.

Asked about the declining fortunes of the global steel industry, Xi said that capacity had already been reduced by 700 million tons in China, and that the woes of the sector resulted from the global economic crisis. Finding jobs for all laid-off workers was a concern, he said.

Addressing human rights, Xi said that "China attaches great importance to the protection of human rights" but he said that "all countries need to continually improve their protection of human rights," the BBC reported.

As Xi is due to head to Manchester, focusing on a new "Northern Powerhouse" initiative to revitalize Britain's former industrial heartland, Xi said that China welcomes British business to join in its "Belt and Road" initiatives.

The two countries will also work together on international development to help tackle global poverty.

Complementary economies

"China is one of Britain's top markets and has development potential. Cooperating with China is based on very practical considerations as it can complement the British economy," Zhang Shengjun, an international politics professor with Beijing Normal University, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

He said the visit is another important economic boost between China and the UK since the establishment of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and that it will help China to increase its participation in international affairs in the future.

"The Wednesday talks mark that China and the Western world have entered a new cooperation era as China has showed the world its constructive role in global economic development. It demonstrates that China is a partner, not a competitor."

Zhang added that "Xi's visit will not only improve bilateral ties between China and the UK but will have a positive impact and meaning to the West."

Zhou Yongsheng, a professor at China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times that China and the UK will establish a closer strategic partnership through reaching economic agreements.

"The UK is a strategic country, and the fact that it is trying to get close to China may be because it has foreseen that China will become a superpower which will surpass the US in the future," Zhou said.

He added that the visit will have a driving effect that will attract more European countries, and especially those in the developing world, to work with China.

University collaborations

On Wednesday, Xi visited Imperial College London with British Finance Minister George Osborne and Prince Andrew, as the university announced a series of new education and research collaborations with China.

A new scholarship program for 20 Chinese postgraduate students to study at Imperial, and support for Imperial's PhD students to undertake research at universities in China will be set up.

A center for transnational entrepreneurship will also be set up in London as a partnership with Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province.

Imperial is China's leading research partner in the UK, and has about 2,000 Chinese students, the largest non-British group. The institution is also working with Chinese businesses such as telecommunications giant Huawei.

Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan were then greeted by Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, at an event at Lancaster House celebrating the partnership of the two nations in which companies in the creative industries announced new collaborations in film, TV and entertainment.

London Taxi Company owner Geely, a Chinese car manufacturer, announced a further 50 million pound ($77.2 million) investment to enhance their research capabilities and launch a new fleet of zero emission-capable black cabs.

Aston Martin also announced a 50 million pound deal with China Equity to develop its zero-emission RapidE sports car.

The event also showcased some of the creative collaborations between China and Britain.

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