"Those who are fabricating rumors to discredit China, stirring up Sinophobia, and disturbing the normal exchanges and cooperation between China and the UK are attempting to turn back the wheel of history," Chinese Ambassador to the UK Zheng Zeguang said on Wednesday.

"The achievements of China-UK economic cooperation are not a windfall but the result of hard work," Zheng noted in a speech delivered at the China Chamber of Commerce in the UK (CCCUK) Annual Online Conference & Celebration of the 20th Anniversary of CCCUK.

"A sound political environment is essential to economic cooperation between the two countries," Zheng added.