China holds bilateral defence talks with UK, France

China says a delegation of the People’s Liberation Army’s defence strategy consultation has visited Britain and France to discuss the development of bilateral defence relations.

China’s Ministry of Defence said the delegation, which visited both countries from June 24th to July 1st, exchanged in-depth views on international and regional security issues of common concern, and enhanced mutual understanding and trust.

Asked about the visit, a spokesperson for Britain’s Ministry of Defence said that it had hosted a U- China Defence Strategic Dialogue in London.

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“Discussions covered respective National Defence Strategies; the situation in Ukraine; Security in the Indo-Pacific; Strategic Stability and Proliferation; the South China Sea and Taiwan; and the UK-China military relationship,” the spokesperson said in a statement.

British foreign minister James Cleverly may visit China in July, according to officials, as Britain is seeking to improve relations with China and engage in areas such as trade, investment and climate change, while protecting itself against national security threats.