§ Mr. Donald AndersonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will set out the principal results of his visit to China. [134309]
§ Mr. PrescottI visited China from 12 to 18 October at the invitation of Vice Premier Wu Bangguo. My purpose was to enhance bilateral relations and promote UK business interests in China.
I visited Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Guilin, and Chongqing. In Beijing I had meetings with Vice President Hu Jintao, Vice Premiers Wu Bangguo and Wen Jiabao, other Government Ministers and the Mayor of Beijing. I also opened the Second Session of the UK China Forum with Vice Premier Wu Bangguo.
In Shenzhen I attended with Vice Premier Wu Bangguo the opening of the China High-Tech Fair, at which there was a strong British presence. In Shenzhen and the other cities I visited I held meetings with senior provincial and city politicians.
My discussions with Chinese political leaders covered bilateral relations, commercial matters, international issues, the environment, and human rights. I was received with great warmth throughout my visit and was left in no doubt as to the strength of UK/China political relations. I was particularly impressed by the effort that China is making to ensure that she develops in a sustainable way as she modernises for the 21st century, and the opportunities which exist for British companies to work with her in that modernisation.