Finance top on agenda

China and the United Kingdom are poised to strengthen cooperation in financial sectors, Vice-Premier Wang Qishan and the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling said.

The UK welcomes the creation of the Chinese sovereign wealth fund and its potential for investing in Britain, Darling said yesterday at the conclusion of his meeting with Wang at the first China-UK Economic and Financial Dialogue in Beijing.

"Both countries recognize the importance of actually participating in the current discussions taking place in the international institutions on the issues between sovereign wealth funds and recipient countries to achieve better cooperation on a mutually open basis," he said.