On April 10, 2023, Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu met with Permanent Under-Secretary at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office of the UK Philip Robert Barton.

Ma Zhaoxu said that China and the UK, as permanent members of the UN Security Council, uphold multilateralism, support free trade, and share a wide range of common interests in such fields as economy, finance, sustainable development, and climate change. He expressed the hope that the two sides will strengthen policy exchanges, focus on mutually beneficial cooperation, properly handle differences, and promote the steady development of bilateral relations.

Philip Robert Barton said that the UK is ready to work with China to grow a steady and constructive bilateral relationship, and expressed the hope that the two sides will strengthen high-level interactions, deepen exchanges and cooperation in various fields, carry out close communication in international affairs, and jointly respond to global challenges.

The two sides also exchanged views on international and regional issues of mutual interest and concern.