Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has called on Britain and the European Union to continue supporting multilateral trading systems, as Beijing seeks to strengthen ties with its trading partners amid increasing trade tensions with the United States.
During a phone call with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy on Tuesday, Wang stated that both China and the UK shared a responsibility to uphold the international order in the face of what he described as “rampant unilateral bullying,” according to a statement from China’s foreign ministry.
Wang affirmed that China was willing to collaborate with the UK to “eliminate all distractions” and stressed the shared duty to protect multilateral trade structures and resist protectionism.
In a separate conversation with Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger, Wang delivered a similar message, urging the European Union to join China in upholding global trade principles. He reiterated Beijing’s readiness to deepen high-level engagement with the EU and work together to promote an open and cooperative global economy.
These statements come as China continues its efforts to solidify international trade partnerships in the face of U.S. tariff measures targeting Chinese exports.