Chinese FM calls on China, Britain to uphold international order established after WWII

Against the current backdrop of rampant unilateral bullying, China and Britain bear the responsibility to uphold the international order established after World War II, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Tuesday.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said during a phone conversation with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy that the two sides also share a responsibility to uphold the UN-centered international system and protect the multilateral trading system.

Noting that the momentum of improvement and easing in China-Britain relations has not come easily and requires utmost cherishing, Wang said China is willing to work with Britain to overcome various disruptions and distractions and steer the bilateral relationship steadily forward.

Wang said that the use by the United States of tariffs as a weapon to launch indiscriminate attacks on other countries is a practice that violates World Trade Organization (WTO) rules and harms the legitimate interests of other countries.

By standing up against the United States' use of tariffs as a weapon, China, as a responsible country, aims not only to defend its own legitimate rights and interests but also to uphold international rules and the multilateral trading system, he said.

Lammy said that the UK appreciates the positive momentum in the current development of bilateral relations with China, and added that it has always been an open country that firmly supports free trade.

As permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, both the UK and China bear important responsibilities for the sustainable development of the world economy and international trade, said Lammy, affirming that his country is willing to maintain communication with China in this regard.

Chinese FM calls on China, Britain to uphold international order established after WWII

Chinese FM calls on China, Britain to uphold international order established after WWII

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has renewed his urgent call for an end to the Middle East conflict to prevent the worsening global hunger crisis, Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, said at the UN headquarters in New York on Tuesday.

Speaking at a press briefing, Haq quoted the UN Chief as saying that amid the escalating tensions in the Middle East, diplomacy must prevail.

He also cited the warnings from UN agencies that the conflict in the Middle East is feared to plunge tens of millions more into food insecurity. "The secretary general asserts once more that the war in the Middle East must stop, diplomacy must prevail, all Security Council resolutions must be implemented. The latest one, Resolution 2817, must be respected as we see that countries in the Gulf continue to be targeted," Haq said.

"And the World Food Program (WFP) is warning today that the total number of people around the world facing acute levels of hunger could reach record numbers in 2026 if the escalation in the Middle East continues to destabilize the world's economy. New analysis by WFP estimates that almost 45 million more people could fall into acute food insecurity or worse if the conflict does not end by the middle of the year, and if oil prices remain above 100 dollars a barrel. These would add to the 318 million people around the world who are already food insecure," he said.

Haq also highlighted the strategic significance of the Strait of Hormuz, noting that the key to restoring its safe and secure operation lies in bringing an end to the conflict.

He said that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres would travel to Brussels later on Tuesday for urgent consultations with European officials on navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and follow-up safeguard measures.

UN chief renews urgent call for end to Middle East conflict to prevent worsening global hunger crisis