Ambassador Liu Xiaoming Delivers A Keynote Speech and Answers Questions at the Webinar with UK Think Tanks On China-Europe Relations

Mark Burgess from OMFIF: Thank you very much Ambassador. It's nice to see you again. I just want to ask you about multilateral versus bilateral relations and the balance that's going on in the world. We seem to have slipped into a bilateral world which I don't think helps with global trade, which we all benefit from. How do we get that balance between multilateral and bilateral back on track?

Ambassador Liu: China is very committed to multilateralism. This year, as I said, is the 75th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. Not many people know that China was the first country who put its signature on the UN Charter. China has been committed to the international system with the UN at the core. China has fully implemented its international obligation. China never says China comes first, and China never withdraws from any international treaties. We've signed about five hundred international treaties, and joined one hundred international organizations. We also support WHO in playing a leading role in global response to Covid-19. And we have increased our donation to the WHO. We disagree with United States' withdrawal from the WHO. We also support WTO as the body taking care of international trade, though that system is not perfect. But so far you cannot find a replacement.