Cleverley acknowledged on television the importance of maintaining a practical and reasonable working relationship with China due to issues affecting everyone globally.

However, he stated that his country has fundamental differences with China, which he will raise in upcoming meetings.

China is an important country, a large country, an influential country, and a complicated country. Therefore, our relationship with China will necessarily be just as complicated and sophisticated,” the foreign secretary said.

Cleverley became the first British foreign secretary to visit China in five years.

On the eve of the trip, the British foreign secretary affirmed that he wanted to discuss, among other issues, the countries’ joint efforts to fight climate change.

Cleverly also expressed confidence that such issues cannot be resolved without China.

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