What Xi and May said at the meeting

Editor's Note: President Xi Jinping met with British Prime Minister Theresa May at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on Thursday. China Daily reporter was on the spot to record a slice of the meeting live.

The following are the key points said by Xi Jinping and Theresa May.

Xi Jinping:

I believe that this visit is expected to promote bilateral high-level exchanges, enhance practical cooperation, and inject impetus into the two nations' ties.

The global situation is experiencing unprecedented and complex changes. China and Britain, as major countries, shoulder special responsibility in dealing with common challenges.

I would like to make joint efforts with you to push bilateral relations to develop in a healthy and steady way in the new era, thus bringing happiness to the people of both sides and peace to the world.

Theresa May:

In 2015, you paid a very successful state visit to the United Kingdom, and it was then the Golden Era of UK-China relations was established.

Since then, I think we have indeed achieved a great deal in enhancing the links between our two countries, both in terms of the people links but also trading links.

We now see trade valued nearly 60 billion pounds and 600,000 visas issued for Chinese visitors to the United Kingdom.

I welcome the investment that has been made in the United Kingdom, but also the growing trade links that we have between our two countries.

I have been pleased to bring a very large business delegation here who had a very successful visit.

The links between us go beyond trade. I have been very pleased with people-to-people links. We have been able to build on in education and in culture.

We are both significant players on the world stage. We both sit together as the permanent members of the Security Council of the United Nations. There are global challenges which we both face. There would be areas on which we can work together.

I am very pleased to be able to be here in China to take further forward the global strategic partnership that we have established between United Kingdom and China.