UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverley will pay an official visit to China on August 30 at the invitation of the Chinese government, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin stated on Tuesday.
“At the invitation of the member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, the UK foreign secretary will pay an official visit to China on August 30,” Wang told a briefing.
The spokesman also noted that China and the UK as permanent members of the United Nations Security Council have a “common responsibility to promote peace, stability and development throughout the world.”
“During the UK foreign secretary’s visit to China, the sides will hold in-depth discussions on China-UK relations, as well as international and regional issues of common interest,”
Wang clarified.
In June, an American newspaper reported that the top UK diplomat might visit China for the first time in over five years. One of the senior officials later said that the UK Foreign Ministry was considering holding a meeting at the end of July. While Cleverley personally confirmed the plans, he later postponed his trip to Beijing. The delay reportedly happened due to the resignation of then-Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang. On July 25, Wang Yi succeeded Qin as the top Chinese diplomat.
Source: Sputnik
