On March 16, 2010, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi held talks with British Foreign Secretary David Miliband in Beijing.

Yang said China-Britain relations were developing well, and lifting the level of the bilateral strategic dialogue would further promote bilateral relations. "We are willing to work with Britain to further promote our comprehensive strategic partnership," Yang said. He hoped the two nations would enhance communication and strengthen mutual understanding and trust by bringing into full play the role of various bilateral exchange mechanisms. Yang also suggested the two nations address the financial crisis as an opportunity to actively explore cooperation in financial services, clean energy, renewable energy, energy saving and environmental protection, and to further expand investment and trade links. Yang said the two countries should respect each other's core concerns, including those related to sovereignty and territorial integrity. China and Britain should work together, in line with the principles of mutual respect and equality, to correctly view and properly handle differences, Yang said. He urged both sides to resolve contradictions from a strategic height, seek common ground while reserving differences and guide the development of bilateral relations in the right direction.

Miliband told Yang the Britain-China strategic partnership had maintained a sound momentum of development, and the two sides shared broad common interests and faced many common challenges. The differences between the two sides should not affect the overall development of bilateral relations, Miliband said. Miliband said Britain welcomed the inauguration of the strategic dialogue at a higher level. Britain would work with China to increase economic and trade cooperation and to jointly oppose trade protectionism, he said.

As to China-EU relations, Yang said that there is a growing trend toward a multi-polar international configuration and EU, as an important pole of the world, is a cooperation partner that China attaches great importance to. He hoped that China-Britain relations would play a leading role in China-EU relations.

Miliband said his country supported the European Union in promoting comprehensive strategic partnership with China. He hoped EU and China would enhance cooperation in climate change and other areas and work for win-win outcomes.

Both sides also exchanged views on climate change and other international and regional issues of common concern.