On July 28, 2020, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi had a phone call with First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Dominic Raab of the United Kingdom (UK).

Wang Yi pointed out, both China and the UK are permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, and influential countries in the world. Both countries have huge space and potential for cooperation in international affairs. The two sides should strengthen communication and coordination and assume due international responsibilities and obligations. For the UK, China has always been an opportunity rather than a threat, a complement rather than a decrement, a solution rather than a challenge or risk.

Wang Yi noted, the current China-UK relations have encountered obstacles and interference. Some people in the UK demand the "reset" of bilateral relations in an attempt to overthrow the two countries' cooperation, which will only see the relationship hit a dead end. At the crossroads of China-UK relations, both sides should remain rational and mature, abide by the basic norms of international relations, respect each other's core interests and major concerns, and maintain the political foundation of bilateral relations.

Wang Yi reiterated the Chinese side's principled position on issues related to Hong Kong, pointing out that Hong Kong is China's Hong Kong, and affairs related to Hong Kong are China's internal affairs. This is a matter of principle. The UK side's recent words and deeds regarding China's national security legislation for Hong Kong violate the basic norms of international relations, which the Chinese side firmly opposes. The formulation and implementation of China's national security legislation for Hong Kong aim to plug the long-existing legal loophole and improve the rule of law in Hong Kong, and to ensure the steady and sustained development of "one country, two systems" on the track of the rule of law, which is in full compliance with the Constitution and the Basic Law. The legislation not only contributes to the high degree of autonomy and prosperity and stability in Hong Kong, but also is conducive to safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of all foreign companies and personnel in Hong Kong.

Regarding the 5G issue, Wang Yi said, China and the UK share common understanding on providing a level playing field for all enterprises based on the principle of marketization. Regrettably, under pressure and coercion from a certain country, the UK side politicized business issues, and discriminated against Chinese companies. The Chinese side calls on the UK side to provide an open, fair and non-discriminatory investment environment for all companies including Chinese ones, and to rebuild Chinese companies' confidence in the UK market.

Dominic Raab said, the UK's policy toward China remains unchanged. The UK side has always attached importance to UK-China relations, respected China's development achievements, and valued the opportunities brought to the UK side by its cooperation with China, and agreed that both sides enjoy broad prospects for cooperation. The current UK-China relations have encountered some challenges, but this is not the complete picture of bilateral relations. The UK side rejects a comprehensive "reset" of UK-China relations and does not approve of repeating the outdated Cold War mindset. Instead, the UK side stands for maintaining rational, mature, and candid dialogues and communication, and advancing practical cooperation. The UK side supports the promotion of UK-China trade and investment relations, and stands ready to enhance cooperation in vaccine research and development, as well as economic recovery after the epidemic. Dominic Raab also explained the UK side's position on Hong Kong-related issues and expressed willingness to maintain candid communication with the Chinese side.