WUHAN, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- Visiting British Prime Minister Theresa May said Wednesday that Britain is eyeing closer cooperation with China in education and culture.

The prime minister made the remarks in Wuhan City, capital of central China's Hubei Province. She arrived in this central Chinese city early Wednesday to start her three-day visit to China. Wuhan is her first stop.

Jiang Chaoliang, secretary of the Hubei Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, welcomed May and the British delegation at the elite Wuhan University.

Cooperation in education between Hubei and British organizations has become prominent in China-UK cultural exchanges, said Jiang in a welcome speech. He hoped that Prime Minister May's visit to Wuhan University will open a new chapter in cultural cooperation between Hubei and Britain.

For her part, the prime minister said Britain and China had long cooperated in education and achieved results.

She hoped youth from the two countries will communicate more and cooperate further to build a better future.

Currently, 17 universities of high learning in Hubei have established 27 cooperation programs with 12 British universities.