Beijing (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The UK’s foreign minister has raised apprehensions about China’s support of Russia in its fight against Ukraine, whilst on a visit to Beijing.
Britain’s Foreign Minister David Lammy has raised concerns regarding China’s support of Russia in its war against Ukraine, insisting his Chinese counterpart to prevent Chinese companies from supplying to Russia’s military in a meeting in Beijing.
David Lammy made the remarks as he made his first visit by a Cabinet minister to China since the Labour government came to power in July. He met with Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang and held discussions with Foreign Minister Wang Yi later the same day.
What was discussed between Lammy and Wang Yi in Beijing?
The two-day trip is an endeavour to reset links with Beijing after relations turned frosty in recent years over spying allegations, China’s backing for Russia in the Ukraine war and a crackdown on civil liberties in Hong Kong, an ex-British colony.
Britain’s government emphasised that engagement with China was “pragmatic and necessary,” officials expressed Lammy also raised thorny topics including Russia and human rights concerns in Hong Kong and China’s far-western Xinjiang province.
how will China’s ties with Europe be affected?
Lammy “noted how both the U.K. and China have a shared interest in European peace and ending the war. He reaffirmed that concerns over China’s supply of gear to Russia’s military-industrial complex risks harming China’s relationships with Europe whilst allowing to sustain Russia’s war,” the Foreign Office stated in a statement after the meeting.
Lammy advised Wang to “take all measures to investigate and to stop Chinese companies from supplying Russia’s military,” the statement stated, adding the two sides arranged to continue discussions on this and other geopolitical problems such as the conflict in the Middle East. The United States sanctioned two Chinese firms for allegedly helping Russia build long-range attack drones operated in the war in Ukraine. The Chinese Embassy in Washington expressed the allegations were false.
