Chinese premier to meet Blair
Chinese president Hu Jintao will meet with Tony Blair in Downing Street today as part of his state visit to London.
Trade relations and climate change are at the top of the agenda, but the prime minister is also likely to raise the issue of human rights abuses.
At a banquet at Buckingham Palace last night, Mr Hu said China would collaborate with foreign nations to build a “harmonious world of lasting peace”.
He said China’s economic development offered opportunities for “win-win co-operation” with Britain to ensure the “well-being of the two peoples”.
“We stand ready to work with the UK to strengthen mutual trust, expand exchanges and co-operation and make joint efforts for the well-being of the two peoples and a harmonious world of lasting peace and common prosperity,” he said in Chinese.
In a more cautious note, the Queen, in her speech, said China’s growth brought “great opportunities as well as “difficult challenges”.
Mr Hu was met by hundreds of demonstrators yesterday, protesting against the Chinese presence in Tibet and its poor record of human rights.
Many have argued that the president should not have been given such a show of support, which includes a parade down the Mall and bathing the London Eye in red light.
After meeting Mr Hu yesterday, Lib Dem leader Charles Kennedy said he had raised concerns about China’s human rights record, as well as highlighting the environmental impact of the country’s industrial expansion.
“I also made it clear that we believe the way forward with China, which is one of the emerging powers in trade and investment in the world, is through constructive engagement,” he added.
Yesterday, the prime minister’s official spokesman said Mr Blair would use this week’s visit to raise the issue of political change, but felt it was better to do so in private, rather than “public grandstanding”.
He added that it was more likely that human rights would be respected in an economy that was growing, rather than one that was in decline.
Mr Hu and his wife will visit an exhibition of Chinese art at the Royal Academy of Arts in London as part of their stay. They are also due to fly to Germany and Spain for state visits.
