Britain does not support Tibetan independence and respects China's sovereignty, Prime Minister David Cameron told members of parliament on Wednesday.

"Let us be absolutely clear. This government has not changed the long-standing British policy towards China and Tibet," the prime minister said.

"The Chinese government is aware of our policy on Tibet. We recognize Tibet as part of China. We do not support Tibetan independence and we respect China's sovereignty," Cameron said.

The prime minister said Britain wants to "have a strong and positive relationship with China," which he believes is in their mutual benefit.

"When I spoke to Premier Li (Keqiang) recently, we both looked forward to both countries working very closely together in the months and years ahead," he said.