On April 29, 2020, Vice Foreign Minister Qin Gang spoke on the phone with David Quarrey, the United Kingdom (UK) Prime Minister's International Affairs Adviser and Deputy National Security Adviser. Both sides exchanged views on issues such as promoting bilateral cooperation in combating the COVID-19 pandemic as well as development of bilateral relations and strengthening cooperation on international affairs.

Qin Gang said, China-UK relations enjoy a sound momentum of development. The Chinese side is willing to continuously implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of our two countries, focus on tackling the COVID-19 pandemic, actively promote bilateral and multilateral cooperation, resolutely support the World Health Organization (WHO) and provide help for developing countries with weak health systems. Both sides should also have long-term development goals in mind, propel important agendas regarding high-level exchanges between our two countries and practical cooperation for the next stage. Efforts must be made to forge highlights in cooperation in such fields as trade, investment, scientific innovation and tackling climate change, as well as safeguard the principle of multilateralism and multilateral trading regime hand in hand, in a bid to facilitate the heathy development of China-UK relations at a higher level.

David Quarrey expressed, the UK side attaches high importance to its relations with China and bilateral cooperation in the fight against the disease, supports WHO in fully playing its roles, and pushes the international community to cope with the pandemic in a coordinated way. The UK side is willing to reinforce high-level exchanges with the Chinese side, and coordinate the international efforts in fighting the pandemic together and safeguarding multilateralism and free trade.