What China’s embassy says

SEVENTY years ago, the UK was the first major Western country to recognise New China. Over the years, despite twists and turns, [the] China-UK relationship has continued to grow.

The most important lessons we have learnt from the past 70 years are: mutual respect for each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, noninterference in each other’s internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit.

The past 70 years have told us that when these principles were upheld, China-UK relationship would make progress; otherwise, this relationship would suffer setbacks or even retrogression. We hope the British side will draw lessons from history and abide by those principles so as to contribute to the sound and steady development of China-UK relations rather than the opposite.

China is a staunch guardian of cyber-security and also one of the biggest victims of hacking. We oppose and crack down, in accordance with law, all forms of cyber-espionage and attacks. This position is consistent and clear.