Billionaire trying to make us all drive Chinese cars

... and guess what? You’ve probably already been in one

GEELY is the biggest car maker you’ve never heard of – and it has a huge stake in Britain’s future. The Chinese firm has just invested £300m in a factory in Coventry to build electric versions of the iconic London cab.

And, as the Mail revealed last month, it is also planning a venture to sell a different type of car on the High Street, one that you can run and pay for in much the same way you would a mobile phone.

Geely also owns Volvo – and British drivers love a Volvo.

Perhaps this is why the firm’s boss, Li Shufu, is so keen not to let his views on the UK’s decision to leave the European Union get lost in translation. So he repeats them – over and over again.

‘I don’t think Brexit will have any negative impact on the relationship between China and the UK. We can continue this relationship well into the future.’

Li, who is chairman of China’s biggest privately owned car-maker, Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, is a thoughtful speaker who chooses his words carefully as he gestures with his hands. He speaks through an interpreter, but rumour has it he’s learning English and understands more than he lets on.

‘We do respect the decision made by the British people. We believe the decision taken by people, as a whole, is the right decision,’ he says.

‘We have not taken any decision to change our investment plans because of the decision.’

Li founded Geely – which means ‘lucky’ in Mandarin Chinese – in 1986, and it has become one of the world’s fastest growing automotive empires. It is also spearheading the advance of Chinese cars into Britain.

His vote of confidence in Britain comes days after Nissan reassured the Government that two new models will be built at its plant in Sunderland.

He is launching an upmarket Chinese car brand for the UK, US and Europe called Lynk & Co, created by British design chief Peter Horbury.

Li has also held talks with UK sports car-maker Lotus over a possible collaboration. And Geely just became the major sponsor for a new British landspeed record attempt.

He was speaking in Shanghai where he announced a factory in China that will build Volvos and the Lynk & Co models.