UK ready to take ‘next big step’ on ties with China
Print Edition
Britain’s Finance Minister George Osborne said yesterday his visit to China was “the next big step” in Sino-UK relations and insisted “there is no country in the West more open to investment — especially from China” — than Britain.
“There are some in the West who see China growing and they are nervous,” he said in a speech at Peking University yesterday.
“They think of the world as a cake — and the bigger the slice that China takes, the smaller the slice that they will get,” he said. “I totally and utterly reject this pessimistic view. If we make the whole cake bigger, then all our peoples will benefit.”
He emphasized Britain’s keenness to attract Chinese trade and investment in all sectors.
“I don’t want Britain to resent China’s success, I want us to celebrate it. I don’t want us to try to resist your economic progress, I want Britain to share in it,” Osborne said.
During the five-day trade mission to China, several major deals are expected to be signed. On Sunday, a deal between a Chinese construction group and British firms to develop a business district around Manchester airport was announced.
Energy Secretary Ed Davey said “huge progress” had been made in efforts to secure Chinese and other foreign investment in Britain’s power sector, including atomic energy.
“I think it is really possible we will see massive Chinese investment, not just in nuclear but across the board,” he said.
Osborne is in China with London Mayor Boris Johnson, who welcomed the easing of the visa plans for the Chinese.
“You need to get more visas for talented Chinese people to come to the UK,” Johnson said.
“When Chinese tourists come to London classically they spend very considerable sums of money — it’s good news for the city. If it doesn’t happen it’s a missed opportunity and I don’t want to see that business going to Paris,” he added.
Osborne’s visit also marked a resumption of normal exchanges that were suspended after Prime Minister David Cameron angered China by meeting last year with the Dalai Lama who is accused of fomenting separatism in Tibet.
Cameron was forced to abandon a trip to Beijing in April after China said he would not be able to meet with high-ranking officials.
Some lower-level meetings also were put on hold.
British diplomats say that Cameron’s visit is being rescheduled, although no date has been announced.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
