Chinese FM meets British counterpart on ties

KUALA LUMPUR, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday met with British Foreign Secretary David Lammyn in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, saying that under the strategic guidance of the two sides' leaders, bilateral relations have been on the right track of improvement and development.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said both sides should regain the original intention of being strategic partners, grasp the general trend of mutually beneficial cooperation, adhere to mutual respect, properly handle differences, and respond to the expectations of all sectors of the two countries.

Noting that this year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of World War II, Wang said that, as co-creators of the post-war order and permanent members of the UN Security Council, China and Britain should also jointly fulfill their international obligations, safeguard the fruits of victory in World War II, maintain the free trade system, and make new contributions to world peace and development.

Lammy said that the current improvement and development momentum of bilateral relations is positive, and exchanges at all levels are increasingly frequent, adding that the British side looks forward to further strengthening communication with the Chinese side, taking more substantive actions and promoting cooperation in various fields such as economy and trade.

Britain adheres to the one-China policy and is committed to developing stable and mature relations with China, Lammy said.

They also exchanged views on international and regional hot issues such as the Iranian nuclear issue and the Ukraine crisis. ■