On December 4, 2025, Zhang Liping, Vice Chairwoman of the Counsellors’ Office of the State Council (COSC), met with a delegation from the UK National Committee on China (UKNCC) at the COSC.Present at the meeting were Liu Yuanli, He Defang and Xian Zude, Counsellors of the State Council; Zhu Guangyao, former Counsellor of the State Council; Ollie Shiell, CEO of the UKNCC; Sir Andrew Cahn KCMG, Founding Member of the Advisory Boardof the UKNCC;Stephen Barter, Member of the UKNCC Advisory Board;Bill Hurst, Chong Hua Professor of Chinese Development at the University of Cambridge’s Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies; and Paul G. Clifford, Co-Chairof the UKNCC AI Governance Dialogue with Tsinghua University Institute for International AI Governance.

   Ms. Zhangextended a warm welcome to the UKNCC delegation and briefed them on the functions of the COSC and its exchanges and cooperation with relevant British agencies in recent years. She noted that the Chinese government attaches great importance to the sound and steady growth of China-UK relations. Last year, President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke by phone and met in person, setting the bilateral relationship on the track of improvement and growth. The COSC stands ready to deepen exchanges and cooperation with British think tanks and cultural institutions, and provideadvice and recommendationsto promote the sound and steady development of China-UK relations.

   Shiell briefed the Chinese side on the preparations for the upcoming exhibition "From Factory to Algorithm: Artificial Intelligence"planned to be held in China by the UKNCC, stressing the importance of enhancing mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples through people-to-people exchanges. He expressed hope for further exchanges and cooperation with the COSC.

   The two sides had candid and friendly exchanges of views on China-UK relations, artificial intelligence, real estate, and geopolitical issues.