HC Deb 01 December 1999 vol 340 cc261-2W
Mr. Ben Chapman

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the work of the British Council in China in the last 10 years. [100640]

Mr. Battle

The work of the British Council in China has consistently been of a very high standard and has performed an invaluable role in promoting British culture and education in China. The Council make a major contribution to promoting links between China and the United Kingdom in areas of reform including in law and governance and in supporting rapidly growing British involvement in China's education and training markets. The Council's arts activities promote a positive image of Britain in China as demonstrated by the series of events staged during my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's visit to China in October 1998.

Mr. Ben Chapman

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to encourage further academic exchanges with China. [100637]

Mr. Battle

Academic and educational exchanges are an important part of our deepening relationship with China. A number of steps are being taken to encourage further academic links with China. These include:

  1. (a) As part of the Prime Minister's initiative we are planning to increase the number of Chinese students in this country from 5,000 to 20,000.
  2. (b) The British Council's Academic Links with China Scheme (funded by DFID) supports 33 active academic links. A recent visit to China of senior UK academics organised by the British Council has resulted in agreement with the Chinese Ministry of Education to establish a new framework for institutional collaboration.
  3. (c) The Chevening Scholarship Scheme will be expanded and used to support some 120 awards in China.
  4. (d) There are a number of projects devoted to professional development and training in China. These include: the BOND scheme (funded by BTI) which expects to make 25 industrial placements from China each year, the Financial Sector Training Scheme (funded by DFID) which aims to train 225 financial professionals in the UK over four years.

The British Council will hold a number of high profile education events in China in 2000 including a British education festival in Beijing and Shanghai in February that will involve over 90 British institutions. Follow up to the Council's Lifelong Learning festival held in November this year in China will focus on academic co-operation and exchanges particularly for distance and vocational learning.