BEIJING: Britain’s foreign secretary has expressed concerns over China’s support to Russia in its war against Ukraine asking his Chinese counterpart to stop Chinese companies from supplying to Russia’s military.
David Lammy made the comments during a meeting with Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang and held talks with Foreign Minister Wang Yi later the same day in Beijing.
His two-day visit to China is aimed at resetting relations with Beijing after ties turned frosty in recent years.
The British government has stressed that engagement with China was pragmatic and necessary.
Lammy during the meetings said how both the U.K. and China have a common interest in European peace and ending the war. He reiterated that concerns over China’s supply of equipment to Russia’s military-industrial complex risks damaging China’s relationships with Europe.
Lammy requested Wang to take all measures to probe and stop Chinese companies from supplying Russia’s military. A statement said, the two sides also agreed to continue discussions on this and other geopolitical issues such as the conflict in the Middle East.
Earlier, the United States placed two Chinese companies under sanctions on Thursday for allegedly helping Russia build long-range attack drones. The Chinese Embassy in the US termed the allegations as false.
Lammy also expressed serious concerns about the implementation of a sweeping national security law in Hong Kong and called for the release of Hong Kong publisher and activist Jimmy Lai.
According to a readout from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Wang said that Taiwan and Hong Kong affairs were all “China’s internal matters”.
He said China and the United Kingdom should enhance economic cooperation and find areas of consensus in global politics, despite areas of deep disagreement.
