On February 20, 2023, Foreign Minister Qin Gang had a phone call with UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs James Cleverly.

Qin Gang said that both China and the UK are permanent members of the UN Security Council and major countries in the world. A sound China-UK relationship serves the interests of our two countries, and also contributes to world peace and development. China is not a challenge or threat to the UK. China is committed to high-quality development and high-level opening up, and will continue unleashing the advantages of its super-large market and the domestic demand potential. The two countries can achieve complementarity and a mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation. Harmony brings wealth and bilateral cooperation depends a great deal on a good atmosphere between the two countries. Hope the UK side take an objective and rational view on China's development and work with China to meet each other half way, enhance mutual trust, properly handle differences and disputes, set up correct cognition of each other, strengthen cooperation, and promote the sound and steady development of bilateral relations.

Cleverly said that China has made great development achievements in the past few decades, lifted hundreds of millions of people out of poverty, and has become an important force in the world economy. The UK is ready to strengthen high-level exchanges and strategic communication with China, deepen exchanges and cooperation in various fields, and jointly address global challenges such as climate change and food security, among others.

The two sides also exchanged views on issues of mutual interest and concern.