Lord Cameron urges China to pressure Iran on Houthi attacks

The Foreign Secretary has urged China to use its influence to pressure Iran over Houthi attacks in the Red Sea in a meeting with the Chinese foreign minister.

A statement from the Foreign Office (FCDO) said Lord David Cameron met with Wang Yi at the Munich Security Conference on Friday to “support constructive engagement” between the two nations.

Lord Cameron “stressed” with Mr Yi that Russia’s war on Ukraine threatens international rules, while pushing the UK’s stance on human rights issues in Hong Kong and Xinjiang.

He also reiterated his calls for the release of British citizen Jimmy Lai, who was arrested in 2020 in Hong Kong during a crackdown on massive pro-democracy protests.

The 76-year-old media tycoon, who founded the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper, has been in jail for three years.

The pair also spoke about working together on climate change and solidifying trade links and cultural ties between the two nations.

Lord Cameron has been among the senior politicians at the conference, with the Foreign Secretary appearing at a panel event on Friday.

He laughed off a rebuke from a high-profile Republican following his call for US legislators to pass a bill providing support for Ukraine.

Right-winger Marjorie Taylor Greene told Lord Cameron to “kiss my ass” following his intervention, amid concern in the UK and Europe about wavering support in Washington for the war against Vladimir Putin.

Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, the Foreign Secretary said: “I went to the Republican study group lunch, talking about exactly this issue. We didn’t get anatomical at that stage, it was very early in our relationship.

But he said he would continue to make the plea for the multibillion-dollar foreign aid package making its way through Congress.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, shadow foreign secretary David Lammy and shadow defence secretary John Healey are also expected to attend the conference to stress the party’s commitment to Nato and defence.

It comes as attendees of the conference were left reeling at the death of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, with US vice-president Kamala Harris and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also among those in attendance.