Xi, UK PM Burnham discuss cooperation in phone call

Summary

President Xi Jinping held phone talks with UK Prime Minister Burnham on the evening of 8 September 2026 at the latter's request. Xi congratulated Burnham on his appointment and said China and the UK should transcend differences and expand mutually beneficial cooperation. He welcomed UK participation in China's education, healthcare and financial opening during the '15th Five-Year Plan' period.

Burnham expressed readiness to maintain policy continuity towards China and restore bilateral relations to their highest historical level, and appreciated China's assistance to British citizens during the Jilong mudslide disaster in Tibet. The two sides also exchanged views on the Taiwan issue and multilateralism.

Commentary

The high-level call signals a commitment to multilateral cooperation, which could help stabilise expectations for New Zealand small and medium-sized enterprises. The UK is already a CPTPP member and has a free trade agreement with New Zealand. Mutual recognition of service qualifications between China and the UK may increase compliance volatility for New Zealand exporters using Commonwealth transshipment points.

As China's '15th Five-Year Plan' expands opening in education, healthcare and finance, the UK's advantages in language and as a financial centre could draw Chinese students and high-net-worth clients away from New Zealand, given Chinese students account for about 30 percent of New Zealand's international education market. Institutions should strengthen vocational training and micro-credential barriers. Medical and fintech companies should track licensing developments for UK capital entering China, pivot to localised data services and avoid homogeneous competition.

Keywords: Xi Jinping, Burnham, China-UK relations, phone talks, 15th Five-Year Plan, opening-up, Taiwan issue, multilateralism, bilateral relations

Source: Embassy of the People's Republic of China in New Zealand