Xi and Burnham discuss cooperation in first call
Chinese president and UK prime minister spoke on September 8 about economic ties and global issues.
AI-assisted coverage comparison, editor-supervised · How this was made
Xi and Burnham discuss cooperation in first call
Photograph: Asia One (embedded from source)
What this story says
- Chinese President Xi Jinping and UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham spoke by phone on September 8.
- The leaders discussed pragmatic cooperation, economic growth, and raising living standards.
- Burnham raised issues including domestic security, Russia's war in Ukraine, Hong Kong, and human rights.
- Xi expressed hope that Britain will protect the rights of Chinese investors.
Who covered it
Percentages are shares of the 24 outlets carrying a published leaning rating. 16 of the 40 outlets we know ran this story carry no rating and are not counted in them. Coverage measured .
Trust
42/100
Craft
61/100
Hype
20/100
40 sources · methodology
Chinese President Xi Jinping and British Prime Minister Andy Burnham held a phone conversation on September 8. Xi stated that China and Britain share more common interests than differences. Burnham's office reported that the leaders discussed the importance of pragmatic cooperation, including economic growth and raising living standards.
During the call, Prime Minister Burnham raised several key issues: domestic security, Russia's war in Ukraine, Hong Kong, human rights, and consular cases. President Xi expressed hope that Britain would fully protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese investors.
Disagreement on the nature of the call's initiation
Asia One reported that the call was held at the British Prime Minister's invitation, according to an official Chinese summary. However, other reports do not specify who initiated the call.
What the coverage left out
None of the left-rated reports mention the specific date of the phone call, September 8, as the day it took place. The centre-rated reports do not mention the specific date of the phone call. None of the right-rated reports mention the specific date of the phone call.
Still developing. We have re-checked which outlets are covering this 1 time, most recently on 9 Sept 2026, 12:15, and will add the sides that appear.
How other outlets pictured it
Which photograph to run is each newsroom’s own choice. The leaning beside a name is that outlet’s published rating, not a claim that the pictures divide along it. Every picture is shown from the outlet’s own server and links to the article it ran in.
How each side covered it
Our own reading of the reporting listed below, written from the outlets’ articles rather than quoted from them. The reasoning is set out on our methodology page.
Left
9 rated outlets
- Left-rated reports highlighted Prime Minister Burnham's intention to engage "frankly and constructively" with China, as stated by Downing Street. These reports also noted Burnham's discussion of domestic security, Russia's war in Ukraine, Hong Kong, and human rights. CGTN and unn.ua mentioned Xi's call for China and Britain to transcend differences and seek common ground, with CGTN adding that Xi congratulated Burnham on his new role. Asia One and The Independent (US) also focused on Burnham's promise of frank engagement and the discussion of pragmatic cooperation.
Centre
8 rated outlets
- Centre-rated reports led with the statement from Chinese President Xi Jinping that China and Britain share more common interests than differences. Asia One and Reuters reported this sentiment prominently. Bloomberg and Caixin Global also highlighted Xi's call for Britain to protect Chinese investors' rights and the discussion of boosting economic ties. WTVB and The Straits Times also focused on the shared interests and the positive tone of the call.
Right
7 rated outlets
- Right-rated reports focused on President Xi Jinping's statement that China and Britain have more common interests than differences, with Caixin Global and The Straits Times leading with this. EADaily and vz.ru highlighted that the leaders discussed Russia and Ukraine, as well as Hong Kong and human rights. News-pravda.com mentioned the conversation with British Prime Minister Burnham, while Anadolu Ajansı reported Xi's call for the two countries to rise above disagreements and broaden cooperation. Yonhap News Agency noted Xi's hope for the protection of Chinese investor rights.
Questions about this coverage
- How did the left and right cover Xi and Burnham discuss cooperation in first call?
- Of the 24 outlets on this story carrying a published leaning rating, 38% are rated left, 33% are rated centre, 29% are rated right. Those percentages are shares of the rated outlets, not of every outlet that ran it, which was 40. The sections above set out what each side emphasised, in its own terms.
- Is Xi and Burnham discuss cooperation in first call left or right?
- Neither side dominates it. Of the 24 rated outlets on this story, 38% are rated left, 33% are rated centre, 29% are rated right, and no side holds the 70% this site would want before calling a field one-sided. A story is not left or right in any case; the outlets that carried it are what carry ratings.
- Is the coverage of Xi and Burnham discuss cooperation in first call biased?
- Xi and Burnham discuss cooperation in first call is one event reported by 40 outlets, and this page does not rate the story as biased or unbiased. What it publishes is the spread: which outlets ran it, where named rating organisations place each of them on the spectrum, and what each side chose to lead with. A leaning rating describes an outlet's record over time, not this article, and the two should not be run together.
- Which outlets covered Xi and Burnham discuss cooperation in first call?
- 40 that we know of, every one of them listed further up this page with a link to its own report and to what we hold on the publisher. Nothing here is a summary of somebody else's summary: the outlets are named so the original reporting can be read.
- When did Xi Jinping and Andy Burnham speak?
- Chinese President Xi Jinping and British Prime Minister Andy Burnham held a phone conversation on September 8.
- What did the leaders discuss?
- They discussed pragmatic cooperation, economic growth, and raising living standards. Burnham also raised issues of domestic security, Russia's war in Ukraine, Hong Kong, and human rights.
- What did Xi Jinping hope for from the UK?
- President Xi Jinping expressed hope that Britain will fully protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese investors.
Read it at the source
40 outlets, grouped by the leaning a published rating gives them. Every headline links to the original; an underlined outlet name opens our profile of that publisher.
Left
9- Xi Jinping Told Bernama that London and Beijing Have More Common Interests than Differences (opens Dnevni list Danas in a new tab)
Dnevni list Danas — is Dnevni list Danas biased? Our profile of this outlet
- China Seeks Points of Contact with Britain - Xi Discussed “Pragmatic Cooperation” and War in Ukraine with Burnham (opens unn.ua in a new tab)
- President Xi calls on China, Britain to transcend differences, seek common ground (opens CGTN in a new tab)
- China, UK should boost cooperation: Xi (opens rthk.hk in a new tab)
- Burnham promises ‘frank and constructive’ engagement with China in call with Xi (opens perspectivemedia.com in a new tab)
perspectivemedia.com — is perspectivemedia.com biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
- Burnham promises ‘frank and constructive’ engagement with China in call with Xi (opens The Independent (US) in a new tab)
The Independent (US) — is The Independent (US) biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Burnham promises ‘frank and constructive’ engagement with China in call with Xi (opens The Independent in a new tab)
The Independent — is The Independent biased? Our profile of this outlet
- 1st LD: Xi holds phone talks with British PM (opens china.org.cn in a new tab)
china.org.cn — is china.org.cn biased? Our profile of this outlet
Centre
8- China's Xi tells UK's Burnham they have more common interests than differences (opens Asia One in a new tab)
- China’s Xi tells UK’s Burnham they have more common interests than differences (opens WTVB in a new tab)
- China's Xi tells UK's Burnham they have more common interests than differences (opens Reuters in a new tab)
- China warns PM to 'protect rights and interests' of Chinese investors (opens dailymail.com in a new tab)
dailymail.com — is dailymail.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- China’s Xi Jinping urges deeper UK ties in first call with new PM Andy Burnham (opens South China Morning Post in a new tab)
South China Morning Post — is South China Morning Post biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Burnham promises ‘frank and constructive’ engagement with China in call with Xi (opens Evening Standard in a new tab)
Evening Standard — is Evening Standard biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Xi Urges UK to Protect Chinese Investors in Call With Burnham (opens Bloomberg in a new tab)
- Xi and Burnham: Bridging Nations with Multilateral Cooperation (opens Devdiscourse in a new tab)
Devdiscourse — is Devdiscourse biased? Our profile of this outlet
Right
7- Mikhail Onufrienko: Xi Jinping had a telephone conversation with British Prime Minister Burnham (opens news-pravda.com in a new tab)
news-pravda.com — is news-pravda.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Xi and Burnham Discuss Boosting Economic Ties in First Call (opens Caixin Global in a new tab)
Caixin Global — is Caixin Global biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Xi Jinping Discussed the Conflict in Ukraine with the Premiere of Britain (opens vz.ru in a new tab)
- Burnem Called Xi Jinping to Discuss Russia and Ukraine, Hong Kong and Human Rights (opens EADaily in a new tab)
- China’s Xi tells UK’s Burnham they have more common interests than differences (opens The Straits Times in a new tab)
The Straits Times — is The Straits Times biased? Our profile of this outlet
- China, UK should rise above disagreements, broaden cooperation: Xi tells Burnham (opens Anadolu Ajansı in a new tab)
Anadolu Ajansı — is Anadolu Ajansı biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Xi Jinping Speaks with UK Prime Minister Burnham... "Hope for Protection of Chinese Investor Rights" (opens 연합뉴스-Yonhap News Agency in a new tab)
연합뉴스-Yonhap News Agency — is 연합뉴스-Yonhap News Agency biased? Our profile of this outlet
Not rated
16- Xi holds phone talks with British PM (opens Ecns in a new tab)
- Xi Jinping Asked Andy Burnham to Search for "Land of Understanding" Between Beijing and London (opens Ecopolitic in a new tab)
Ecopolitic — is Ecopolitic biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Andy Burnham Promises "Pragmatic" Cooperation with China in Conversation with Xi (opens Noticias ao Minuto in a new tab)
Noticias ao Minuto — is Noticias ao Minuto biased? Our profile of this outlet
- British PM Raises Hong Kong, Human Rights Issues in Direct Phone Call with Beijing (opens Aktuality.sk in a new tab)
Aktuality.sk — is Aktuality.sk biased? Our profile of this outlet
- China-UK Dialogue on "Pragmatic Cooperation" in Economics, Human Rights and Security (opens yucatan.com.mx in a new tab)
yucatan.com.mx — is yucatan.com.mx biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Burnham Is Committed to Pragmatism with China and Promises a "Frank and Constructive" Relationship with Xi Jinping (opens El Periodista Online in a new tab)
El Periodista Online — is El Periodista Online biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Xi and Burnham hold first call since July (opens azeritimes.com in a new tab)
azeritimes.com — is azeritimes.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Shea and Burnham's First Phone Call (opens Unknown in a new tab)
Unknown
Show 8 more
- Xi Urges the UK to Protect Chinese Investors in a Call with Burnham (opens La República in a new tab)
La República — is La República biased? Our profile of this outlet
- The Chinese President's First Phone Call with Andy Burnham (opens tabnak.ir in a new tab)
- Xi Jinping and Andy Burnham Had Their First Phone Conversation. "Let's Overcome the Differences" (opens antena3.ro in a new tab)
antena3.ro — is antena3.ro biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Xi Jinping Calls for Deeper Links with the UK in His First Call to Andy Burnham (opens DiarioBitcoin in a new tab)
DiarioBitcoin — is DiarioBitcoin biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Chinese President Calls for Increased Cooperation with Britain (opens fararu.com in a new tab)
fararu.com — is fararu.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Si Spoke to Bernama: China and the UK Have More Interests in Common (opens nin.rs in a new tab)
- Xi Jinping Speaks with Benedict Cumberbatch by Phone, Emphasizing that China and the UK Should Respect and Trust Each Other to Overcome Differences; Hopes the UK Will Protect the Legitimate Rights and Interests of Chinese Investors. (opens i-cable.com in a new tab)
i-cable.com — is i-cable.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Xi, Burnham have first phone conversation (opens BizToc in a new tab)
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