Speaking with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Tuesday, British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said the two talked about their “intention to have a constructive relationship.”

In a post on X, Cameron stated, “The UK will continue to engage with China where it furthers our interests.” They had also talked about the conflict in Ukraine and the circumstances in Israel and Gaza.

Some members of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Conservative Party expressed worry about the government’s strategy towards China following the nomination of former British leader David Cameron as foreign minister last month.

In 2015, when Cameron was prime minister, he announced the end of the “golden era” in ties with China, a claim that Sunak has since made.

Sunak has instead sought to balance national security interests with better cooperation on trade and climate change.