The Duke of York is talking with China.org.cn.

Earthquake commemoration and reconstruction

In Chengdu the Duke will meet Jiang Jufeng, Governor of Sichuan Province, participate in a seminar on green building construction, meet expatriates affected by and assisting with earthquake relief, and attend a ceremony to launch the Standard Chartered Relief Fund. He will also hold a reception to celebrate UK collaboration with south-west China.

The Duke will visit the city of Dujiangyan, site of the devastating 8 degree earthquake in May which killed an estimated 80,000 people. In Dujiangyan he will tour a resettlement camp and a temporary school, meet earthquake survivors and commemorate the victims at the earthquake memorial site.

The Duke's visit to the earthquake area adds to continuing British assistance to the area. In the immediate aftermath of the quake British businesses donated over $20 million in money and aid in kind. The British Department for International Development (DFID) also co-ordinated an immediate UK Government aid package worth ￡2.5m. DFID is also providing a further ￡1m to assist reconstruction and re-employment projects.

In Wuhan the Duke will meet Luo Qingquan, Governor of Hubei Province, Mayor of Wuhan and representatives from UK businesses operating in Hubei Province to discuss sustainable development and the recently released UKTI-CBBC China Regional Cities Report. Wuhan was selected in 2007 by the central government as the pilot city for the UK-China Sustainable Cities Initiative, a regional development strategy based on sustainable growth and promotion of resource-efficient, environment-friendly economic and social reform.

In Shanghai, he will meet with key business contacts and learn about the planning of Shanghai Expo 2010.

The Duke's last official visit to China was in 2006.

(China.org.cn by WANG Ke November 6, 2008)