LONDON, May 18 (Xinhua) -- China will build a new London embassy on the site of the former Royal Mint near the City of London.

Speaking at the official transfer ceremony of the New Diplomatic Premises of the Chinese Embassy in the UK on Friday, Chinese Ambassador to Britain Liu Xiaoming said that the new premises is a golden fruit of China-UK "Golden Era".

"Today, we are here to mark a major purchase of China's diplomatic premises since the founding of New China," he said. "I regard it as a fresh golden fruit of China-UK 'Golden Era'."

The new premises is the new image of China's diplomacy in the new era, Liu added.

"I am confident that after the renovation, the new premises of the Chinese Embassy will become a new landmark in London and a new face of China in the new era," Liu said.

He stressed that he sincerely hopes that China and the UK will seize the historical opportunities and stay ahead of the tide of the times.

In 1877, 49 Portland Place became the premises of China's first diplomatic mission abroad.