The last-minute decision to review the building of Britain’s first new nuclear plant in decades, has raised concerns that Ms May could alter the trajectory set by her predecessor David Cameron towards closer ties with China, particularly on the issue of Chinese investment in United Kingdom infrastructure.
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While EDF, which is 85% owned by the French government, is due to contribute two-thirds of the projected £18bn cost of the project, the final third would come from the Chinese General Nuclear Power Group – a deal inked by David Cameron and President Xi Jinping during last October’s state visit, following groundwork laid by George Osborne when chancellor.
China’s Foreign Ministry said Monday that there is a hope that a decision on the Hinkley Point nuclear plant deal can be made as soon as possible in order to guarantee its smooth implementation, Reuters reports.
EDF’s chief executive has said the company is “ready” to start building Hinkley Point C as soon as the Government gives the go-ahead.
Mrs May’s official spokeswoman said: “Of course with the role that China has to play on world affairs, on the global economy, on a whole range of worldwide issues, we are going to continue to seek a strong relationship with China”.
A former colleague of Ms May said on Saturday she had previously expressed concern about the national security implications of the planned Chinese investment.
A “Golden Era” of China-UK ties proclaimed past year, when Chinese President Xi Jinping was warmly welcomed in Britain, is now under question.
When Business and Energy Secretary Greg Clark said the Government would “consider carefully” all parts of the project before making a decision in the early autumn, the move stunned the industry.
Such a rosy prospect underpins the program’s win-win nature and dispels the groundlessness and sci-fi scent of fears over “China planting back-doors” during program construction to control the critical infrastructure.
Meanwhile, Chinese state media said today that China “cannot tolerate” accusations that its investment in the British nuclear plant threatens that country’s security.
He told Sky News that when Osborne was in charge of the economy Britain had been “uniquely open to Chinese investment”.
Britain and EDF first reached a broad commercial agreement on the project in 2013, with China’s involvement surfacing two years later.
Xinhua said people might think Britain was trying to erect a wall of protectionism.
“If history offers any guide, many China-targeted suspicions have been boiled down to diffidence and distortion”.
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Such commentaries are not government statements, but offer a reflection of official thinking.
