China to firmly safeguard Chinese firms' legitimate rights: embassy on UK PM claiming China should stop buying Russian oil

Asked to comment on reports that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer reportedly said in a recent interview that China should stop buying Russian oil, that the UK will make a decision on the planning application for the new Chinese Embassy in the proper way regardless of pressure from anyone, and that the UK's policy towards China remains unchanged — a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the UK said on Tuesday, "As I stated on 15 October, China has always maintained an objective and impartial position on the Ukrainian crisis and has been committed to promoting talks for peace."

Normal exchanges and cooperation between Chinese and Russian companies should not be disrupted or affected, the spokesperson said in an official statement. "The UK should refrain from stirring up trouble. China urges the UK to lift sanctions on relevant Chinese entities. China will firmly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies," said the statement.

With regard to the planning application for the new Chinese Embassy, the spokesperson stressed that China's position is very clear. "We deplore the UK's repeated delays in approving the application," the spokesperson noted.

Providing support and facilitation for the construction of diplomatic premises is an international obligation of the host country. Both China and the UK have a need to build new embassy premises in each other's capitals, according to the statement. "We urge the UK to approve China's planning application as soon as possible," it added.

The spokesperson stressed that a stable and mutually beneficial China-UK relationship serves the interests of both countries and requires both sides to work in the same direction. "We hope that the UK will have the right perspective and work with China on the basis of mutual respect and seeking common ground while reserving differences to promote the healthy development of bilateral relations," noted the spokesperson.