Permanent Representative to the UN, New York Yesui Zhang of China

cooperation as well as great potential.

During the telephone talks, Zhang said that ships which pass the Gulf of Aden and Somali waters were often attacked or hijacked by pirates there in recent years, piracy has become a serious threat to the international shipping, trade and security.

Zhang expressed welcome to Lord Malloch-Brown as the first member of cabinet in the new British government to visit China, adding that since the establishment of the new British government, China-Britain relations have maintained continuity and achieved new progress.

Zhang said China has already participated in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and is willing to take part in the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR.

On the widely-concerned impact of elimination of global textile quotas, Zhang said China would consider adopting measures to protect its interests and those of its trading partners.

of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on Dec 27.

During the meeting, Zhang said despite the enormous achievements in its reform and opening up, China remains a developing nation, which can resolve difficulties and challenges it faces only through further development.

Zhang was speaking at a ceremony to launch a fund to channel money from emissions-reduction credits into environmental projects.