Wang Yi holds talks with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday held talks with visiting British Foreign Secretary David Lammy in Beijing.

Wang said as permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and major global economies, China and the UK should be guardians of the international order centered on the United Nations and partners in addressing global challenges and achieving national development.

China is willing to work with the UK to uphold mutual understanding and respect, maintain openness and cooperation, deepen strategic communication, promote practical cooperation and advance China-UK relations into a new stage of stable development, added Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.

China-UK relations have developed through history and now stand at a new starting point, he said.

The UK's Labor government has proposed developing a long-term, stable and strategically significant relationship with China, which China views positively, Wang said, adding that this approach aligns with the historical logic and current needs of the two countries' relations, serves the fundamental interests of both peoples and is in line with the trends of history and the broader international landscape.

He said Taiwan- and Hong Kong-related issues are China's internal matters, and non-interference in internal affairs is a fundamental principle of international relations.

China agrees to fully restore the dialogue and cooperation mechanisms between the two countries across various fields and actively engage in mutually beneficial cooperation in areas such as trade, finance, green development, science and technology, health, education and cultural exchanges, according to Wang.

Lammy said the UK government is committed to strengthening dialogue and cooperation with China in a coherent and mutually respectful manner that aligns with the long-term interests of both sides while effectively managing differences. 

The UK adheres to the commitments made at the time of establishing diplomatic relations regarding the Taiwan issue and will continue to uphold this position in the long term, Lammy said. 

The UK and China share extensive common interests, and there should be no "iron curtain" between the two countries, he said, adding that the UK looks forward to enhancing high-level exchanges and dialogue with China at all levels.

Both sides also exchanged views on international and regional matters such as the Ukraine crisis, the Palestine-Israel conflict and the situation in Myanmar.