The United Kingdom (UK) will seek a closer tie with China in its bid to make
the country one of the leading business partner in the world of economic
globalization, a senior trade official has said.
"China, with its massive
influence in global trade, is of great importance to UK's trade and industry,
which is trying to attract a new wave of high-value investment," Alistair
Darling, Britain's secretary of sate for trade and industry, said in the weekend
before his visit to China.
Darling, who will visit Beijing, Shanghai and
Hong Kong, is on his first ever trip to China's mainland. He, who will lead a
15-strong delegation, said that Sino-British trade ties will be strengthened
through mutual investment, not only trade.
The UK, whose manufacturing
industry has shrunk much during its economic structure readjustment in the past
decades, finds that it has opportunities in helping China in fields like
environment protection and power plant building.
The British trade and
industry leader said that globalization provides a tremendous opportunity for
both UK and China in which both countries could cooperate to curb climate change
and improve bilateral trade.
Darling was appointed Secretary of State for
Trade and Industry, replacing Alan Johnson in the government reshuffle in
May.
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