London and Beijing are expected to sign a string of business deals today, the second day of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s first state visit to Britain, including an agreement by Chinese investors to take a one-third stake in the UK’s first new nuclear plant for a generation.
Mr Xi lunched with Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace yesterday before addressing parliament at the start of a visit laden with traditional pomp and ceremony.
The Chinese investment in the new nuclear plant, Hinkley Point C in south-west England, which is expected to cost £24bn, may provide the lion’s share of the £30bn-worth of business deals to be announced today.