Britain’s May hopes to assure Chinese over nuclear plant

The Prime Minister wants to use the G20 summit to show that the United Kingdom remains “dependable” in the wake of the European Union referendum result.

“British people voted to ensure the freedom of movement doesn’t carry on as it has done in the past, and we also want to ensure we get the best deal for trade in goods and services”.

“The UK, famed for its innovative and creative spirit, chairs the G20 innovation working group that is responsible for making a G20 blueprint for innovation-driven growth”, he said, adding that China and Britain can work together to push the summit to adopt the document.

The Hinkley Point project is seen as the frontrunner to closer ties with China on nuclear issues, paving the way for tens of billions of dollars of investment and another two nuclear power plants with Chinese involvement.

But in a visit to the West Midlands, the Prime Minister insisted she will be seeking a good deal on trade as well as controls on freedom of movement.

Theresa May could face a diplomatic row with China at the G20 summit as she arrives for her first meeting with Xi Jinping, without having approved Beijing’s involvement in United Kingdom nuclear projects.

Mrs May is expected to have a meeting with President Xi on Monday after the two-day G20 summit, which will be composed of leaders of the 20 major markets of the world.

Ms May will make her major worldwide summit debut on Sunday after Britain’s shock vote in June to leave the European Union ousted her predecessor David Cameron and thrust her into control of the world’s fifth-largest economy.

A decision on whether the project in Somerset will go ahead is expected this month, but United Kingdom officials indicated it would not be announced at the meeting with the Chinese leader, fuelling speculation it may be scrapped or altered.

The Hangzhou summit will be the new PM’s first opportunity for face-to-face talks with China’s leaders since she angered Beijing by delaying a final decision on the Chinese-backed nuclear power station at Hinkley Point in Somerset.

She is expected to make an intervention during a summit session to lay out her plans for Brexit.

But amid reports the planned US-EU trade deal has stalled, the United Kingdom hopes for talks on a transatlantic agreement of its own with Washington.

Her meeting with her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi is expected to be dominated by trade talks.

‘The issue, I think, is much more day-to-day security implications of having an investor of that kind who isn’t an ally – not an enemy – but isn’t an ally in the way most investment hitherto in to this country has been from the West, ‘ she told BBC Radio Four’s Today programme.

During the summit, May will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time.