Premier Wen
Jiabao and British Prime Minister Tony Blair, after three hours
of wide-ranging discussion, yesterday oversaw the signing of a
series of trade contracts including airline and banking deals.
Blair is in Beijing to attend the ongoing China-EU summit.
"I think it is fair to call our meetings in-depth, practical,
frank and productive," Wen said. "I do believe that this is a very
important visit, so that we can discuss our relations and major
international and regional issues of common concern."
Blair praised the approach China had taken in the last two days,
which included a settlement of a Sino-EU trade row that had left 80
million Chinese-made garments piled up at European ports.
"The length of our meetings both yesterday (Monday) and today
(Tuesday) gave us an opportunity to discuss issues in depth, but it
has really been the frankness and openness of our discussions that
have been most appreciated," Blair said.
He said the chance to exchange views had made him "very content
indeed."
Trade and investment took up most of their time, but they also
touched on other subjects such as human rights, China's market
economy status, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
Asia-focused British bank Standard Chartered will invest about
US$123 million to buy a 19.99 percent interest in Bohai Bank --
China's first national joint stock bank to be
established?since 1996?and to be based in north China's
Tianjin Municipality.
The agreement marks the lender's first investment on the Chinese
mainland, and is close to the maximum 20 percent a single foreign
investor can hold in a domestic bank.
Aircraft maker Airbus signed a deal to sell China Southern Airlines 10
A330 planes. The planes, worth about US$1.8 billion at list price,
will be delivered in 2007 and 2008.
Iain Gray, general manager of Airbus UK, said the eight
A330-330s and two A330-200s would supplement four A330-200s China
Southern had previously ordered.
The airliner sales will help protect 135,000 jobs in the UK,
which makes the wings, landing gear and fuel systems, he said.
Si Xianmin, president of China Southern, said the 10 additional
jets would increase his company's capability and flexibility,
especially in domestic trunk and regional routes.
Standard Chartered Chairman Bryan Sanderson said: "We have been
in China for 150 years. Now we're being allowed to do more and
more."
The UK is the largest European investor in China, spending US$12
billion in the country as of end 2004.
Moving on to exhibition and research, curators of the National
Museum of China?(NMC) and the
British Museum (BM)?signed a memorandum of understanding to
strengthen exchanges and cooperation in their field.
The memorandum states that the BM plans to exhibit the
highlights of its worldwide collections at the?NMC in Beijing
when it reopens in 2008 after renovation works.
In addition, the two museums will also organize an exchange
program for researchers to conduct technological and academic
cooperation.
At a breakfast meeting with Chinese investors yesterday, Blair
predicted trade and investment between Britain and China could
reach US$40 billion in the next five years.
Praising
Sino-British cooperation in UN reform, anti-terrorism, trade,
investment, science and culture, Wen told Blair yesterday that the
two countries should expand their cooperation in all fields.
Blair said the multi-level dialogue between the UK and China
created a sound environment for promoting bilateral relations, and
his country would further cooperate with China in a bid to promote
trade and economic ties.
(China Daily, Xinhua News Agency September 7,
2005)