Cleverly: London wants a pragmatic relationship with China

London wants a pragmatic relationship with China but will remain "clear-eyed" about areas of disagreement, British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said in Beijing on August 30 on a visit criticized by some in the governing Conservative Party, Report informs referring to Reuters.

Cleverly is the first senior British minister in five years to visit China, a trip that he hopes will reset ties between the two countries after years of tension over security, investment and human rights concerns.

The foreign secretary has argued it would be a mistake to isolate the world's second-largest economy or tackle climate change without its input, but some Conservative lawmakers say the trip looks like an expression of British weakness.

"We are clear-eyed about the areas where we have fundamental disagreements with China and we raise those issues when we meet," he told broadcasters.

"But I think it's important to also recognize that we have to have a pragmatic, sensible working relationship with China because of the issues that affect us all around the globe."

China Vice President Han Zheng told Cleverly at their meeting that he hoped the two countries could make new advances in their relations.