China urges UK, EU to uphold multilateral trade amid US 'bullying'

BEIJING: Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi on Tuesday urged Britain and the EU to safeguard multilateral trading systems, as Beijing seeks to rally support from trading partners to counter US tariff measures.

Wang told British foreign secretary David Lammy in a phone call that China and Britain had a responsibility to uphold international order in the face of "rampant unilateral bullying", according to a Chinese foreign ministry statement. China is ready to work with Britain to "eliminate all distractions", Wang said, adding that the onus was on both countries to safeguard multilateral trading systems.

In a separate phone call with Austrian foreign minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger, Wang similarly said China and the European Union should shoulder international responsibility to defend multilateral trade and build an open world economy.


Wang also said China was willing to further strengthen high-level exchanges with the EU.

Letter to Japan PM
Meanwhile, in Tokyo, news agency Kyodo reported that the Chinese government sent a letter to Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba calling for a coordinated response to the tariff measures implemented by the US. The letter was sent from Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Kyodo said, citing multiple Japanese government officials.