Chinese FM, British foreign secretary hold phone talks on bilateral ties

BEIJING, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday held a phone conversation with David Cameron, British secretary of state for foreign, commonwealth and development affairs, at the latter's request.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that China and Britain, both permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, bear important responsibilities for maintaining international peace and stability.

The steady and sound development of bilateral relations not only serves the fundamental and long-term interests of the two peoples, but also has strategic and global significance for promoting world peace and prosperity, Wang said.

China and Britain offer development opportunities to each other, he noted, expressing hope that the British side will establish a correct understanding of China and grasp the general direction of the development of China-Britain relations.

Wang said China is firmly committed to peaceful development, and maintains continuity and stability of its foreign policy. China advocates multilateralism and opposes unilateral bullying, he said, adding that China supports free trade and opposes protectionism.

China's development is a growing force for world peace and a strengthening factor for the stability of the international community, Wang said. In the face of the ever-changing international situation and emerging global challenges, he stressed, China and Britain should maintain communication and dialogue, strengthen coordination, and deepen cooperation.

For his part, Cameron said that in today's world, no single country can tackle global challenges alone, and the engagement and cooperation between Britain and China serve the interests of both sides. Britain is committed to developing relations with China and is willing to maintain exchanges, he added.

He also said Britain appreciates China's support for multilateralism and expects China to play a greater role in international and regional issues.

The two sides exchanged views on hot issues, including the Ukraine crisis. Wang reiterated China's consistent position on promoting peace talks, and stressed opposition to any act that harms China's legitimate rights and interests and abuses unilateral sanctions.