China's plan to help Britain build HS2

China will help Britain build the controversial high-speed rail link between Surrey and Hertfordshire via central London.
 

Chinese premier Li Keqiang made the announcement after talks with David Cameron, who is back from a three-day trip to promote UK business in China.

The project, also known as High Speed 2 (HS2), is meant to provide extra capacity on the rail network as well as bringing cities closer together with high-speed trains.

The British Prime Minister has declared to welcome any potential Chinese involvement in HS2.

“An open Britain is the ideal partner for an opening China. No country in the world is more open to Chinese investment than the UK,” he said.

Over the past five years China has built the largest high-speed rail network in the world covering nearly 6,000 miles of track and is now attempting to sell its technologies to several foreign countries. 

British transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin had already visited Beijing to hold talks with the Chinese government in October.

Numerous Members of Parliament from both political wings have signalled their opposition to High Speed 2 project on economic, environmental and transport grounds.

They said that the current £ 50 billion plus price tag on HS2 would fund a large number of worthwhile projects if it was scrapped.

The opposition also raised safety concerns following a Chinese railway crash which killed at least 40 people in 2011.

The accident does not appear to be deterrent for the British Government.

Mr Cameron, in fact, is “proud of Chinese investment”.

Moreover, the economic giant, wants to push for progress in the co-operation on nuclear power, willing to purchase equities and stocks in the UK power projects.

British PM added he will be pushing for a comprehensive EU/China trade deal.