On January 21, 2025, Vice Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong met with visiting Director of the Middle East and North Africa Department at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Stephen Hickey.

Chen Xiaodong said that the Middle East region is undergoing complex and profound changes. The international community should promote a ceasefire and end hostilities to help alleviate the humanitarian crisis; support good neighborliness and friendship among regional countries, and resolve conflicts through dialogue; build consensus on counter-terrorism, abandon "double standards", and strictly prevent terrorist and extremist forces from taking advantage of the chaos to fester. As permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, China and the UK should jointly promote peace and development in the Middle East and the world.

Stephen Hickey said that maintaining peace and stability in the Middle East is in the common interests of both the UK and China. The UK appreciates China's mediation in the restoration of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran and its promotion of Palestine's internal reconciliation, and looks forward to strengthening communication and coordination with China on Middle East policy.