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HOME > Ambassador > Remarks > 2015
Ambassador Liu Xiaoming's Interview with The Daily Telegraph on the State Visit
2015-11-01 17:22
 
 
 

On 30 Oct, UK's major newspaper The Daily Telegraph published an exclusive interview with Ambassador Liu Xiaoming by Peter Dominiczak, Political Editor, Daily Telegraph. Ambassador Liu talked about the significance and fruitful outcome of the state visit to UK by President Xi Jinping and answered questions on China-UK relations, cooperation in the field of nuclear power industry, etc. The full text of the report is as follows:

BRITISH people have "nothing to worry" about Chinese involvement in the nuclear power industry, the country's ambassador has said, and predicted that the recent state visit will result in hundreds of thousands of tourists coming to the UK.

Liu Xiaoming, who has been China's ambassador in London since 2009, hailed the recent visit of President Xi as "a super state visit" with "super arrangements, super outcome and super significance".

The visit saw £40 billion of deals agreed between the two countries. 

Mr. Liu also hailed the controversial deal reached over Hinkley Point, which heralded the construction of the UK's first nuclear plant for a generation after a Chinese nuclear company agreed to fund a third of its £18 billion cost.

Responding to claims that senior military and intelligence figures have raised security concern over China taking a stake in sensitive national infrastructure, Mr. Liu said that Britain's nuclear industry "cannot find a better partner" than China and said that he hopes it would be the first of many collaborations.

He said: "We have to make a success of the first project – that's the key. To show the British public that China is a good partner. And to show your people in the energy sector that China is able to deliver."

 

 

 

Addressing the concerns about security, Mr. Liu said: "Even in China, there are many companies, many foreign countries, taking part in developing nuclear power stations. We have the French, the Americans, the Russians; we have the Canadians. We are not concerned about that. We are not concerned that the United States or Russia will control our nuclear power stations."

Mr. Liu spoke of the "warmth and closeness" of the relationship between David Cameron and Mr. Xi, which was highlighted when the Prime Minister took the President to a local pub near his country residence, Chequers, for a pint and a plate of fish and chips.

"These two foods have become very popular in China – they are hot. When Chinese tourists first land in the UK, they would ask for fish and chips and Indian Pale Ale. This pub – The Plough at Cadsden – has become a household name in China", he said.

Currently, around 100 million Chinese tourists travel outside the country every year. However, only half-a-million come to the UK. Mr. Liu predicted that the number of tourists coming to the UK will dramatically increase in the wake of the state visit. He said that the President's state visit has been an "eye-opener" for Chinese people, while at the same time showcasing China to the British people.

Mr. Liu also said that although any decision on European Union membership is up to Britain, China believes that the UK is "an important member in the EU" and looks forward to UK playing a leading role in promoting good relations between China and EU.

He also said that the Chinese are keen for British airports to establish more direct flight routes to China.

 

 

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