BEIJING (AP) 鈥 Britain's foreign secretary raised concerns about China's support of Russia in its war against Ukraine on Friday, urging his Chinese counterpart to prevent Chinese firms from supplying to Russia's military in a meeting in Beijing.
David Lammy made the comments as he made his first visit by a Cabinet minister to China since the Labor government . He met Friday with Vice Premier and held talks with Foreign Minister Wang Yi later the same day.
The two-day trip is with Beijing after relations turned frosty in recent years over , China鈥檚 support for Russia in the Ukraine war and a , a former British colony.
While Britain's government stressed that engagement with China was 鈥減ragmatic and necessary," officials said Lammy raised thorny issues including Russia and human rights concerns in Hong Kong and .
Lammy 鈥渟tated how both the U.K. and China have a shared interest in European peace and ending the war. He reaffirmed that concerns over China鈥檚 supply of equipment to Russia鈥檚 military industrial complex risks damaging China鈥檚 relationships with Europe whilst helping to sustain Russia鈥檚 war,鈥 the Foreign Office said in a statement after the meeting.
Lammy urged Wang to 鈥渢ake all measures to investigate and to prevent Chinese companies from supplying Russia鈥檚 military,鈥 the statement said, adding the two sides agreed to continue discussions on this and other geopolitical issues such as the .
The United States on Thursday for allegedly helping Russia build long-range attack drones used in the war in Ukraine. The Chinese Embassy in Washington said the allegations were false.
Lammy also raised 鈥渟erious concerns鈥 about the implementation of a sweeping national security law in Hong Kong, and called for the release of Hong Kong publisher and activist .
Lai, 76, has been in custody since December 2020 and will testify in November for his defense in a landmark national security trial. He has British citizenship and his legal team has been pressing British authorities to do more to help him.
Before traveling to China, Lammy said it was important to speak 鈥渃andidly鈥 about 鈥渂oth areas of contention as well as areas for cooperation in the U.K.鈥檚 national interest."
Human rights groups have demanded that Lammy press the Chinese government over its crackdowns on dissent in Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Tibet.
Wang said that Taiwan and Hong Kong affairs were all 鈥淐hina's internal matters鈥 and that 鈥渘ot interfering in internal matters was a basic premise of international relations,鈥 according to a readout from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
He said China and the United Kingdom should boost economic cooperation and find areas of consensus in global politics, despite areas of deep disagreement. The statement did not state particulars of China's response on the country's support of Russia in the war.
鈥淐hina is willing to work with all countries including the U.K. 鈥 to seek peace for the world and pursue development for mankind,鈥 Wang said.
Lammy will also visit Shanghai, where he will meet with British business leaders, the Foreign Office said. China, including Hong Kong, is the U.K.鈥檚 fourth-largest trading partner.
The last British foreign secretary to visit China was , when he underlined the importance of maintaining regular dialogue with Beijing despite differences.
