China on Wednesday refuted a speech by British foreign secretary James Cleverly which outlined the UK's position on China and urged the UK to do more that is conducive to the development of bilateral relations as well as world peace and stability.

In response to the speech, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at Wednesday's regular press briefing that as the world is deeply integrated, addressing challenges needs the cooperation of all parties. She noted that bloc politics and Cold War mentality are against the trend of history and do not meet the interests of all parties, including the UK.

China has always developed its relations with the UK in the spirit of equality and mutual respect, while the British side clings to the past, which will end up in pushing itself far away from the progress of the times, she noted.

After the return of Hong Kong, all the provisions concerning the British side in the China-UK Joint Declaration have been fulfilled, she said, stressing the UK has no sovereignty, no jurisdiction, and no right of supervision over Hong Kong.

She said Xinjiang has enjoyed sustained economic growth, social stability, religious harmony, better living standards, and cultures thriving like never before, which is an obvious fact. However, the British side turned a blind eye and a deaf ear to it and denigrated China, she added.

Noting both sides of the Taiwan Straits belong to one and the same China, she said that the greatest threat to cross-Straits peace is "Taiwan independence" forces and foreign connivance and support for their activities.

If the British side really wants to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits, it should follow the one-China principle and oppose all forms of "Taiwan independence" separatist activities.

She reiterated that the affairs of Taiwan, Xinjiang, and Hong Kong are purely China's internal affairs, which brook no interference from any external force, and urged the UK to exercise prudence in its words and deeds, stop slandering China and interfering in China's internal affairs.

(Cover: The Chinese Foreign Ministry. /CFP)