October18,20155:48pm

DiplomatsaccuseBritainofkowtowingto
secureHinkleybacking
GeorgeParkerandJohnMcDermottinLondonandJamilAnderliniinBeijing

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TheplannednewHinkleyPointnuclearpowerreactoristobebuiltalongsideEDF'sexistingplantsinSomerset

DavidCameronwillbrushasidecriticismofhisgovernments
wooingofChinaashewelcomesPresidentXiJinpingtoBritainthisweekandpreparesto
unveilplansfortwoChinesegroupstotakeastakeintheUKsnuclearpowerindustry.
The24.5bnpowerstationproject,firstannouncedinOctober2013,isexpectedtoattract
investmentfromChinasCGNandCNNC,whichwilltakeaminoritystakeinHinkleyPoint
C,anuclearplantinSomerset,southwestEngland.EDF,theFrenchstatecontrolledutility,
willbetheleadinvestor.
TheplanstoopencriticalUKinfrastructureassetsuptotheChinesedrewprivatecriticism
fromwesterndiplomatsbasedinBeijing,whocriticisedDowningStreetfordoingan
Osborne:areferencetothechancellorsfivedaywarmuptourofChinalastmonthwhen
hesaidtheUKshouldruntoChina.

Accordingtoseveralofthediplomats,theregularencryptedcablessentbacktoEuropean
andNorthAmericancapitalsoverrecentweekshavebeenfilledwithsnideremarksand
criticismsoftheUKskowtowingintherunuptoMrXisstatevisit.
MeanwhileBritainsintelligencechiefsareseekingassurancesthatChinasinvolvementin
buildinganewwaveofUKnuclearpowerstationsunthinkableinotherwesterncountries
wouldnotleadtoBeijingspullingthepluginatimeofinternationaltension.
Askedaboutthesesecurityconcerns,LiuXiaoming,ChinasambassadortotheUK,saidon
Sunday:Idontthinkwheretheygotthisinformation.TheChinesearehereforwinwinco
operation.
Onwhetheranucleardealwouldbesigned,MrLiuadded:Ihopeso.Icertainlyhope
becausethisisaveryimportantprojectbetweenourtwocountries.
However,Chinaexpertsaremoresceptical.Whatweareseeingisacasestudyinkowtow,
saidonehighlyinfluentialretiredUSofficial.Itsnotjust[George]Osborne,itsthewhole
Camerongovernmentthatisbendingoverincrediblybackwardsandthiswilldefinitely
createproblemsforGreatBritaininthefuture.
SteveTsang,aChinaexpertattheUniversityofNottingham,saidInthelongerterm,
Osbornesapproachwillbecounterproductive:hewillnotpersuadetheChinese
governmenttorespecttheUKortheBritishgovernmentmore.
InaninterviewwithChinaCentralTelevisiononFriday,DavidCameronswattedaway
doubts,saying:Weseenoconflictwithhavingthatveryspecialrelationship,withwanting
tobeastrongpartnerforChinaastheChineseeconomycontinuestogrowandChina
emergesasanenormousworldpower.
MrCameronwantstomakeBritainChinasnumberonepartnerinthewest,withBeijing
investingininfrastructureandthenorthernpowerhouse.
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