Senior Chinese, British diplomats vow to enhance cooperation

Wang Yi (L), a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, meets with James Cleverly, British Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, on the sidelines of the ongoing Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany on Feb. 18, 2023. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)

MUNICH, Germany, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Senior diplomats from China and Britain have pledged to enhance cooperation here on Saturday.

Wang Yi, director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the pledge during a meeting with James Cleverly, British Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs.

There are no geopolitical conflicts between China and Britain, and the two economies complement each other with great potential to exploit, Wang told Cleverly on the sidelines of the ongoing Munich Security Conference.

Both countries are permanent members of the UN Security Council, shouldering the common responsibility of maintaining world peace and stability, Wang said.

The two sides should remove all kinds of obstructions, stick to the right direction and promote the healthy development of bilateral relations, said Wang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

Wang urged the British side to view China's development objectively and fairly.

The modernization of a huge country with a population of 1.4 billion is a great progress of human civilization, and a great benefit to the world rather than a threat, Wang said.

On the issues of peace and security, China is a major country with the best record, and China's development strengthens the global forces for peace, he noted.

Cleverly said that Britain hopes to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation with China. Britain appreciates China's success in lifting hundreds of millions of people out of poverty, and believes that China's sustainable economic growth is in the interests of all parties.

China is an influential major country that plays a key role in world affairs, and Britain is willing to cooperate with China to tackle global challenges, said the British diplomat.