Chinese and British national flags are seen at the Horse Guards Parade in London, Britain, Oct. 17, 2015. (Xinhua/Han Yan)
For the United Kingdom, China has always been an opportunity rather than a threat, a complement rather than a decrement, a solution rather than a challenge or risk, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday.
In a phone conversion with his British counterpart Dominic Raab, Wang said that both China and the United Kingdom are permanent members of the UN Security Council, influential countries in the world and have huge space and potential for cooperation in international affairs.
The two sides should strengthen communication and coordination and assume due international responsibilities and obligations, he said.
The current China-UK relations have encountered obstacles and interference, Wang said, adding that some people in the United Kingdom demand the "reset" of bilateral ties in an attempt to overthrow the two countries' cooperation, which will only see the relationship hit a dead end.
At the crossroads of China-UK relations, both sides should remain rational and mature, abide by the basic norms of international relations, respect each other's core interests and major concerns, and maintain political foundations of bilateral relations, he said.
On the issue of Hong Kong, Wang reiterated China's principled position, pointing out that Hong Kong is China's Hong Kong, and Hong Kong affairs are China's internal affairs.
This is a matter of principle, he said.
The United Kingdom's recent series of words and deeds regarding China's national security legislation for Hong Kong violated the basic norms of international relations, which China firmly opposes, Wang said.
The formulation and implementation of China's national security legislation for Hong Kong aim to improve the rule of law in Hong Kong, and to ensure the steady and sustained development of "one country, two systems" on the track of the rule of law, which is in full compliance with the Constitution and the Basic Law, he said.
The legislation not only contributes to the prosperity and stability in Hong Kong, but also is conducive to safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of all foreign companies and personnel in Hong Kong, he added.
Regarding the 5G issue, Wang said that China and the United Kingdom share consensus on providing a level playing field for all enterprises based on the principle of marketization.
Regrettably, under pressure and coercion from a certain country, the United Kingdom has politicized business issues and discriminates against Chinese companies, Wang said.
China calls on the British side to provide an open, fair and non-discriminatory investment environment for all companies including Chinese ones, and to rebuild Chinese companies' confidence in the British market, he said.
