FLASH
Shkruar nga PamfletiStarmer's government has confirmed that British citizens will now be able to travel to China without needing a visa. Sir Keir Starmer discussed proposals to introduce this with his counterpart Xi Jinping, as part of his five-day visit to Asia and increasingly moving away from the US.
AstraZeneca, the British pharmaceutical company, announced that it will invest $15 billion (£10.9 billion) in China by 2030. According to the company, this investment will be used to expand drug production and for research and development.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, during his meeting with Xi Jinping, stated that AstraZeneca's expansion in China will help the company grow further and support thousands of jobs in the United Kingdom, while also strengthening its leadership in the global pharmaceutical industry.
In return, British citizens will be able to travel to China without a visa for up to 30 days.
This puts the UK on par with almost 50 other countries, such as France, Spain, Italy and Germany.
Currently, a visa to China for a British citizen costs over £100 and takes around a week to obtain, although the process can be expedited for an additional fee.
The two countries have also agreed to conduct a "feasibility study" to see whether to enter into negotiations for a bilateral services agreement, which would set clear and legally binding rules for British firms trading in China.
"As one of the world's economic powers, businesses have long sought ways to expand their presence in China. We will make it easier to include relaxed visa rules for short-term travel, supporting them to expand abroad, while boosting economic growth and job creation at home," Starmer said.
China is the world's second largest economy and the United Kingdom's third largest trading partner.
The UK and China have also signed a new partnership, which will improve access to the Chinese market and expand public-private partnerships in the health, education and skills sectors, as well as professional, financial and legal services.
The full list of agreements signed today between China and Britain:
-Cooperation in the fight against international organised crime and illegal immigration
-Establishment of a bilateral partnership for services
-Joint feasibility study for a UK-China trade agreement in the field of services
-Cooperation in the field of conformity assessment (compliance with standards)
-Exports from the UK to China
-Strengthening the work of the UK-China Joint Economic and Trade Commission
-Cooperation in domestic services (home care) and the sports industry
-Cooperation in technical and vocational education and training (TVET)
-Cooperation on food safety, animal and plant quarantine
-Cooperation in the field of health
Lini një Përgjigje