Politics
19:51, 15-Dec-2017
Britain eyes closer Belt and Road Initiative cooperation with China
["china"]
Share
Copied
Britain is keen to get on board China's Belt and Road global infrastructure and development initiative, finance minister Philip Hammond said on Friday at the start of a trip to Beijing.
“I was privileged earlier this year to represent the UK at the first Belt and Road forum and one of the things we will discuss tonight and tomorrow is the opportunity for closer collaboration in delivering the ambitions of the Belt and Road Initiative,” he said during a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.
The UK has said it hopes to seal a billion pounds ($1.34 billion) in deals during the weekend trip by Hammond.
The visit, the latest installment in long-running economic talks between the two nations, has taken on new importance for Britain as it looks to re-invent itself as a global trading nation after leaving the European Union in 2019.
Hammond said there were many opportunities to build on their strong relationship.
Li told the British minister that people in China follow developments in Britain and Europe closely.
“We believe that no matter how the situation in Britain and in Europe may evolve, China will continue to hope that there will be steady and sound ground growth of China-British and China-Europe ties,” the premier said.
China is one of the countries with which Britain hopes to sign a free trade pact once it leaves the EU. London and Beijing have been keen to show that Britain’s withdrawal from the bloc will not affect ties.
Business Minister Greg Clarke has traveled to Beijing as well, along with a delegation including London Stock Exchange CEO Nikhil Rathi and representatives of major financial firms such as BlackRock, HSBC and Standard Chartered Bank.
28km
Source(s): Reuters