On May 20, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, who is on a visit to Ukraine, held a pre-arranged telephone conversation with his new British counterpart William Hague.

While extending his congratulations to Hague once again, Yang stressed that it is of particular significance that China and Britain, as two permanent members of the UN Security Council, strengthen coordination and cooperation on international politics, security, economy and other important issues. China looks forward to working with Britain to push their comprehensive strategic partnership for further and greater achievements, said Yang.

For his part, the British foreign secretary said that his country is willing to establish strong ties with China and stands ready to boost bilateral cooperation and mutual understanding. He added that Britain expects to strengthen bilateral exchange and collaboration in various fields and enhance communication and coordination with China on international affairs, including those concerning the Group of 20 and the United Nations.