On March 23, 2026, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi met with UK Prime Minister’s National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell in Beijing.

Wang Yi noted that Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s historic and successful visit to China this past January was widely commended by various sectors in both countries and the international community. This fully demonstrates that the development of a long-term and stable comprehensive strategic partnership between China and the UK is in line with the trend of the times and the aspiration of the people. It also shows that as long as the two sides work with each other in the same direction and engage in constructive communication, they can properly address challenges and issues and achieve mutual benefit and win-win results. The two sides should implement the common understandings reached by the leaders of the two countries, carry out exchanges at various levels, deepen cooperation across the board, effectively manage differences, and work for the steady growth of China-UK relations.

Jonathan Powell stated that the UK stands ready to work with China to implement the outcomes of Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit to China, strengthen communication and cooperation, and jointly develop a long-term and stable comprehensive strategic partnership.

The two sides also exchanged views on the situation in Iran and the Ukraine crisis. Wang Yi briefed on China’s objective and just position, noting that the spillover effects of the situation in Iran are widening, and the protraction of the conflict will only cause more damage and more severe consequences. What all parties need to do now is not to fuel the tensions, but to address the root causes and work together to bring the issue back to the track of political settlement through dialogue and negotiation.