China’s Xi Jinping, Britain's Theresa May agree chemical weapons use 'unacceptable'

Chinese President Xi Jinping and British Prime Minister Theresa May agreed to further promote the "Golden Era" of bilateral ties between the two sides. PHOTOS: AFP

LONDON/BEIJING (REUTERS) - British Prime Minister Theresa May and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed on Thursday (April 19) that the use of chemical weapons "by anyone, anywhere, for any purposes was unacceptable", the Prime Minister's office said.

"The Prime Minister noted that the use of a nerve agent against Yulia and Sergei Skripal in Salisbury was a grave attack on the sovereign territory of the UK, and the first use of nerve agents on European soil since the Second World War," a spokesman said in a statement.

On Syria, the spokesman said Mrs May had told Mr Xi that "Russia's blocking of diplomatic action underlined the importance of the international community working together to re-establish an independent mechanism that attributes responsibility to the perpetrators of attacks such as the one in Douma".

According to China's state media, Mr Xi told Mrs May in a telephone call that there needs to be a comprehensive, just and objective probe into a suspected chemical weapons attack in Syria.

Mr Xi said the results of the probe should withstand the test of history, so as to solve the Syrian crisis through political means as soon as possible.

The two leaders also agreed to further promote the "Golden Era" of bilateral ties between the two sides, Xinhua reported.

They also exchanged views on global trade.

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