Premier Li Keqiang of China arrived in the UK yesterday. Despite all the challenges and potential disagreements there is scope for much closer cooperation around joint work on big issues. Energy should be at the heart of the discussion.
In Whitehall official Chinese visits are dreaded because every element of the programme is fraught with potential difficulty and misunderstanding. Premier Li expects to have tea with the Queen and has lost face by having to ask for an invitation.
The nuclear deal over Hinckley Point which the Chinese might help to fund provided they are allowed to be operators of the next nuclear plant in the UK is mired in doubts over costs and the construction risks. There is a serious chance the deal will never happen.