- Title: China welcomes Britain to attend new Silk Road summit
- Date: 8th February 2017
- Summary: BEIJING, CHINA (FEBRUARY 8, 2017) (REUTERS) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN LU KANG WALKING IN FOR REGULAR BRIEFING MEDIA SEATED (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN LU KANG SAYING: "China welcomes Prime Minister May to visit China at an appropriate time. In regards to the circumstances of the 'One Belt, One Road' international cooperation summit forum which will be held in Beijing in mid-May of this year, as I already explained last week, many countries in the international community have now expressed very positive willingness to participate in the meeting. So far preparations for the meeting are proceeding very smoothly." BRIEFING IN PROGRESS EXTERIOR OF CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY CHINESE NATIONAL FLAG FLYING
- Embargoed: 22nd February 2017 09:53
- Keywords: China. Britain EU Silk Road Summit
- Location: BEIJING, CHINA
- City: BEIJING, CHINA
- Country: China
- Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA00162NSWUD
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: China's Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday (February 8) it welcomed British Prime Minister Theresa May to visit China after sources confirmed she had been invited to a major summit on the "One Belt, One Road" initiative to build a new Silk Road.
"One Belt, One Road" is Chinese President Xi Jinping's landmark programme to invest billions of dollars in infrastructure projects including railways, ports and power grids across Asia, Africa and Europe.
China has dedicated $40 billion to a Silk Road Fund and the idea was the driving force behind the establishment of the $50 billion China-backed Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.
China has so far given few details about who will attend the summit, to be held in Beijing.
The country's top diplomat, State Councillor Yang Jiechi, told the official China Daily last week that leaders from about 20 countries have confirmed their participation, representing Asia, Europe, Africa and Latin America, though he did not give names.
One Beijing-based diplomatic source with direct knowledge of the invite list told Reuters that May was among the leaders who had been invited.
Two other diplomatic sources confirmed May was on the invite list.
"China welcomes Prime Minister May to visit China at an appropriate time. In regards to the circumstances of the 'One Belt, One Road' international cooperation summit forum which will be held in Beijing in mid May of this year, as I already explained last week, many countries in the international community have now expressed very positive willingness to participate in the meeting. So far preparations for the meeting are proceeding very smoothly," Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Lu Kang told a daily news briefing.
Sri Lanka has already confirmed its prime minister is coming, and China says Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is also attending. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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