Sturgeon backs reading scheme as China trade mission beckons
● Pledges to raise human rights during talks with officials in Beijing
Nicola Sturgeon signs a wall at Stirling’s Riverside Primary School yesterday as she announced a further expansion of the First Minister’s Reading Challenge initiative. She also confirmed she will fly out to China next month in an effort to boost Scotland’s trade and cultural links.
Nicola Sturgeon has unveiled plans to visit China next month just over a year after a £10 billion investment deal with the country collapsed.
The First Minister is to take part in high-level business and government meetings during a visit to Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong next month.
She says the aim of the trip will be to show the world’s second-largest economy that Scotland is a “fantastic place to invest”.
But it follows an embarrassing row for Scottish ministers in November 2016 when Chinese state-backed companies Sinofortone and China Railway No 3 Engineering Group pulled the plug on a £10bn investment deal in Scotland.
It followed a row over secrecy surrounding the deal and previous allegations of corrupt practices surrounding the firms involved.
Ms Sturgeon said: “As the world’s second-largest economy, there are huge opportunities for Scottish companies to work with China. I will be travelling with the message that Scotland is a fantastic place to invest, to do business, to study and to visit on holiday.
“I will meet senior Chinese government representatives and I look forward to exploring new ways that our countries can work together.
“As with my previous meetings, we will continue to talk about the importance of equality of opportunity and respect for human rights.”
Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said Scotland’s reputation as an “ethical” country to do business must be restored.
“The last time the Scottish Government tried to do business with China, the First Minister put her name to an agreement with one company condemned by Amnesty International and one who turned out to only own a pub in England,” he said.
“When Alex Salmond went to China he gave them a book, rather than telling them to shape up on human rights abuses. We need to restore Scotland’s reputation as an ethical place to do business.”
Ms Sturgeon previously visited China in 2015, a year after she became First Minister.
Latest figures show that goods exports from Scotland to China are increasing at a faster rate than to any of Scotland’s other top five export partners, with a rise of more than 40 per cent last year.
The first direct Scotland-china air route was announced last week, with Hainan Airlines set to offer a twice-weekly service between Edinburgh and Beijing from June this year.
Liz Cameron, chief executive of Scottish Chambers of Commerce, said the aim is to show Scotland “open for business” with the rest of the world.
“That means being able to trade and invest easily with international markets, and Scotland remaining an attractive destination for inward investment,” she said.
Karen Betts, chief executive at the Scotch Whisky Association, said: “Exports to China increased by 47 per cent last year as Chinese consumers start appreciating Scotch.”
“As with my previous meetings, we will continue to talk about the importance of equality of opportunity and respect for human rights”
NICOLA STURGEON