rapidnewsnetwork.com
JAKE CARTER
October 21, 2015
But while preparing for a state visit to Britain by President Xi Jinping of China, who is to arrive on Monday, Osborne was hoping to secure contracts for British construction companies in an ambitious project under which Xinjiang is to become a gateway for roads, rails and pipelines linking China to Europe through Central Asia.
The two nations have stated the reception heralds a “golden period”, however marketing campaign teams and British opposition figures have criticised Cameron for permitting funding alternatives to overshadow considerations over China’s human rights report.
Cameron will spend time with Xi both at 10 Downing Street and at the prime minister’s country retreat, Chequers. It will be the first state visit to Britain by a Chinese leader in a decade.
The elaborately choreographed visit will also include a trip to the Manchester City football training grounds and a possible unscripted side trip to a pub to dine on that English classic, fish and chips. Rights group Amnesty global will also stage a protest metres from Buckingham Palace where he will lunch with the Queen.
And Cameron said he would raise the impact of cheap Chinese steel imports on Britain’s struggling steel-makers.
A leader of China’s Muslim Uighur minority said the red carpet being laid out by Britain was stained with the blood of his people. Osborne’s trip highlighted the British government’s emphasis on economic ties with China rather than on contentious issues such as human rights – a stance that has been warmly welcomed in China. Zhang Ji, assistant minister of commerce, said this month China and the United Kingdom will sign investment deals that will be larger than during any previous visit by a Chinese leader. The U.K.is counting on Xi making progress in his drive to transform China’s economy from an export-driven model to a consumption-driven one to create new markets for British firms.
Among the business deals set to be sealed is an accord that could see the Chinese take a key role in constructing nuclear plants at Hinkley Point in Somerset, Sizewell in Suffolk and Bradwell in Essex.
But relations between the two countries thawed significantly after Mr Cameron said he had no plans to meet him again.
“This has hurt the twisted dignity of those who still consider the West the centre of the world”.
This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
