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China hoping for swift Britain, EU agreement

Xinhua, June 24, 2016 Adjust font size:

China respects the choice of the British people and hopes Britain and the European Union (EU) can reach agreement as soon as possible after Britain voted to leave the bloc, said a Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Friday.

The British Leave camp won the historic referendum by obtaining nearly 52 percent of the ballots, pulling the country out of the 28-nation bloc after its 43 years of membership. British Prime Minister David Cameron announced his intention to step down after his country voted to leave the EU.

"China views ties with Britain and the EU from a strategic height and long-term perspective, and supports the EU's independent choice of the development path," spokesperson Hua Chunying told a routine press briefing.

China is still keen to strengthen its ties with Britain, she said, but noted Britain's choice to leave the EU will have significant ramifications.

"The impact will be on all levels, not only on China-Britain relations. As to what kind of impact there will be, I believe all sides will calmly and conscientiously assess this," the spokesperson said.

"China supports the European integration process and would like to see Europe playing a positive role in international affairs. We have full confidence in the prospects for the development of China-EU ties," Hua said. Endi