- Title: CHINA: British Prime Minister Gordon Brown arrives in Beijing for a two-day visit
- Date: 19th January 2008
- Summary: (BN05) BEIJING, CHINA (JANUARY 18, 2008) (REUTERS) OFFICIALS PREPARING FOR SIGNING CEREMONY BRITISH PRIME MINISTER GORDON BROWN AND CHINESE PREMIER WEN JIABAO LOOKING ON BRITISH OFFICIAL SIGNING DOCUMENT CHINESE OFFICIAL SIGNING DOCUMENT OFFICIALS LOOKING ON BRITISH AND CHINESE OFFICIALS EXCHANGING DOCUMENTS AND SHAKING HANDS (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) CHINESE PREMIER WEN JIAB
- Embargoed: 3rd February 2008 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: China
- Country: China
- Topics: International Relations
- Reuters ID: LVARR2MORM55FAG5FU8HUHCLFTQ
- Story Text: British Prime Minister Gordon Brown pushes for higher level of trade relations between the U.K. and China on his first trip to China as a Prime Minister.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown pushed for higher levels of trade with China as he flew into Beijing on Friday (January 18) morning for his first visit to China since he became Prime Minister.
On his first day of his two day China trip, Brown met with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, attended a UK-China Business Summit and the official opening of the London Stock Exchange office in Beijing.
During his meeting with Wen, Brown was assured that China would introduce democracy in the country but they will need to find their own path.
Brown's flight was delayed slightly by a packed airliner carrying 136 passengers that dramatically crash-landed at the UK's biggest airport Heathrow.
He was accompanied by more than 20 leading British business figures, amongst them Virgin Atlantic Airways boss Sir Richard Branson.
Wen welcomed Brown in the Great Hall of the People, the heart of China's central government. The two leaders supervised the signing of trade agreements on education cooperation, climate change, sustainable cities and several involving BP and clean energy development.
Britain sees opportunities to sell more services to China in areas such as finance, insurance and retail. Chinese officials also see scope for greater cooperation on clean energy technologies where Britain has the expertise.
While Britain is keen to promote trade, the two countries do not always see eye-to-eye on Iran, Myanmar or the conflict in Sudan's Darfur province.
Brown said he would discuss human rights and democracy during his visit.
Wen assured reporters China was committed to the eventual introduction of democracy.
"Democracy, liberty, equality and fraternity are common values shared by human beings. They are the longtime pursuits of the Chinese leaders and people but the way to realise democracy in different countries is closely related to national conditions, histories and current situations. They have have totally different roads by which they come to democracy," said Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.
Brown said he hoped that China and Britain's trade relationship would move to the next level.
He added that he wanted Britain to be the number one choice for Chinese trade and investment.
The two leaders agreed to expand trade to a value of 60 billion U.S.
dollars by 2010, compared with about 40 billion U.S. dollars last year.
Britain has been the biggest EU investor in China over the past few years but it has been less successful than European rivals in exporting to China.
"We welcome the increasing investment by Chinese companies in the British economy. So we are moving our partnership with china to a higher level. If you look at our economy over the last hundred years we have traded well with Europe, we have traded well with America, we have traded well with the Commonwealth. Now, we have this new opportunity, with more than a billion people in China, to build strong economic relationships with the most fastest growing economy in the world and I believe that the benefits to British people, as well as to British consumers, are going to be seen in a great way in the years to come and its particularly true amongst global financial turbulence," said the British Prime Minister.
Brown insists Britain is well placed to weather the global financial crisis, but there are signs a decade-long house price boom is grinding to a halt and economic growth is slowing.
To further emphasise the importance of trade relations, a UK-China Business Summit is running simultaneously with the Prime Minister's visit.
This was attended by Britain's business delegation, including Sir Richard Branson.
Later in the day, Brown inaugurated the first office of the London Stock Exchange (LSE) in Beijing continuing to seek the promotion of trade and investments with China.
Gordon Brown and Clara Furse, the Chief Executive of LSE, cut the ribbon for the Beijing Representative Office of the renowned British financial organization.
The office in Beijing becomes the exchange's second base in China after its Hong Kong office, also the Asia-Pacific headquarter, was opened in 2004.
Brown will visit China's financial hub, Shanghai, on Saturday where he is expected to view plans for a developing "ecocity", having promised similar projects for the UK. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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