On August 13, 2015, State Councilor Yang Jiechi and Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Philip Hammond of the UK co-chaired in Beijing the China-UK Strategic Dialogue. They agreed to take the opportunity of President Xi Jinping's visit to the UK to open up a new chapter in China-UK relations together.

Yang Jiechi expressed that at the invitation of Queen Elizabeth II, President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to the UK. The visit will play an important guiding role in the long-term development of bilateral relations and be of historic significance. China will enhance coordination with the UK to earnestly prepare for the visit and accumulate the results, and take the opportunity of President Xi Jinping's visit to the UK to re-orient and blueprint bilateral relations, usher in a new prospect for bilateral practical cooperation and set a new model for international cooperation.

Yang Jiechi noted that as this year marks the beginning of the second decade of China-UK comprehensive strategic partnership, it is hoped that the UK will apply a China policy that is more active and open and join hands with China to construct bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership. On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the World Anti-Fascist War and the founding of the UN, China will work with the international community including the UK to commit to safeguarding the victorious outcome of the World War II, and to promote the new type of international relations with win-win cooperation at the core in line with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.

Philip Hammond stressed that President Xi Jinping's state visit to the UK will make 2015 an important year in UK-China relations. The UK government is speeding up various preparation work and will enhance cooperation with China to ensure a complete success of and positive results from the visit thus elevate bilateral relations to a new level.

Both sides also exchanged views on international and regional topics of common interest.