Chinese FM calls for sound, steady China-Britain relations

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with David Cameron, British foreign secretary, on the sidelines of the ongoing Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, Feb. 16, 2024. [Photo by Ren Pengfei/Xinhua]

MUNICH, Germany, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- China and Britain, both permanent members of the UN Security Council, should enhance strategic communication and play their due roles in promoting security and maintaining peace, said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during a meeting with David Cameron, British foreign secretary on the sidelines of the ongoing Munich Security Conference.

As the international situation is undergoing changes and instabilities with resurfacing Cold War mentality, rampant protectionism, and sluggish economic recovery, the world faces challenges one after another, said Wang.

China and Britain should also make joint efforts to expand the convergence of interests, strengthen exchanges and cooperation, properly handle differences and disputes, and bring bilateral relations back to the right track of sound and steady development, which not only serves the fundamental and long-term interests of both countries, but also meets the common wish of the international community, he said.

For his part, Cameron expressed the British side's willingness to perceive bilateral relations from a strategic perspective, jointly develop more constructive bilateral relations, and handle disputes and solve problems with mutual respect.

The British side will continue promoting cooperation in areas that serve the shared interests, and expects to strengthen dialogues on renewable energy, economy and trade, as well as education, Cameron said.

As permanent members of the UN Security Council, the two countries should jointly preserve peace and security, and build a better world, said Cameron.

China has the best records among major countries on peace and security, Wang said, noting that China's development means a stronger force for peace and a greater stabilizing factor.

China advocates and practises true multilateralism, and firmly upholds the UN-centered international system, the basic norms governing international relations with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter at its core, as well as the international order based on international law, said Wang.