Salmond poised for fourth China visit

ALEX Salmond is poised to make his fourth visit to China since becoming First Minister, but the Scottish Government has become embroiled with Whitehall in a row over the planned dates.

The First Minister has been making great efforts to forge direct links with the global economic superpower and his aides were angered by claims that a proposed trip next month had been cancelled or postponed.

The version from Westminster sources was that a planned trip by Mr Salmond in early November had been cancelled, but the Scottish Government insisted that as no details had been finalised any talk of cancellation or postponement was untrue, although a trip before the end of the year was likely.

There has long been tension between the Scottish Government and Foreign Office over the First Minister’s global ambitions.

St Andrew’s House has to run any proposals through Whitehall, which has resulted in “spoilers” – stories that deny the First Minister the right to set his own agenda with planned announcements.

At the same time Mr Salmond’s globetrotting has also irritated Whitehall.

But one Scots Minister who will be heading East is External Affairs Minister Humza Yousaf who leaves for a trip to India next week. He said: “As one of the world’s fastest expanding economies and an important investor in Scotland India is a major priority for our overseas engagement. ”

His visit will coincide with the Commonwealth Games Queen’s Baton Relay starting journey around all 71 nations and territories of the Commonwealth.