PM for greater trade with China
Friday, 18 Jan 2008 08:35
The prime minister has urged Chinese businesses to invest in the UK
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Prime minister Gordon Brown has called for a 50 per cent increase in trade between Britain and China.
Mr Brown, who is travelling with British entrepreneurs and business representatives, will also visit India during the trip.
Speaking at a press conference after meeting with prime minister Wen Jiabao, he said that trade between the two countries was mutually beneficial and "absolutely crucial" to the world economy. He also set a target of £30 billion in bilateral trade with China within the next two years
The former chancellor told reporters: "I believe that tens of thousands of jobs in Britain for British workers can be created by the closer cooperation between our two countries.
"It's true we are able to sell to China not just financial and business services and environmental technologies, but also a whole range of British brands that are now becoming very popular among the rising number of Chinese consumers," he added.
Mr Brown also stated that he wanted China to increase its investment in the UK and for 100 companies from the country to invest in the UK by 2010.
In a message released ahead of his trip, the prime minister announced that the country would support initiatives to help people around the world learn English. A new website will be launched by the British Council to enable people to access language-teaching resources from anywhere.
He added that the British Council would also start a programme in India to recruit trainers who will be responsible for developing the skills of 750,000 teachers of English over a five-year period.