This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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FM begins five-day visit to Beijing and Shanghai
11/10/2004
First Minister Jack McConnell today met with State
Councillor Mr Tang Jiaxuan, a senior member of the Chinese
government, where they discussed joint areas of interest,
including education, trade and tourism.
During the meeting, Mr McConnell expressed his support
for a tourist agreement between China and Britain, which
would allow Chinese tourists to travel to the United
Kingdom for leisure.
Mr McConnell said:
"I hope the UK government and the Chinese government
will finalise this agreement soon. There is a huge
potential Chinese market for Scottish tourism and I want us
to capture it."
Earlier Mr McConnell met with Mr Zhang Yesui, the
Foreign Affairs Minister responsible for relationships with
Europe. During this meeting, Mr McConnell raised the issue
of human rights when he told Mr Yesui that the Scottish
people shared the UK government's concerns about human
rights in China.
The First Minister today also announced government
funding to support an exchange programme between
Edinburgh's Royal Botanic Gardens and the Yuman province in
south-west China. The Chinese Academy of Sciences has just
recognised the Botanic Gardens' Lijiang field station in
Yuman as the UK's first joint science laboratory with
China.
The station helps conserve the plant life of Jade Snow
Mountain in south-west China, much of which is now
endangered partly because of the West's demand for
traditional herbal remedies. The exchange programme will
allow local mountain dwellers to travel to Edinburgh for
training in modern plant propagation techniques, which will
help them preserve their unique wildlife.
Mr McConnell said:
"The Royal Botanic Gardens is one of Europe's most
important scientific institutions and we are very proud of
it. I am particularly proud of the work that it is carrying
out in partnership with the Chinese people.
"The Lijiang Field Station sits at the centre of one of
the world's most important sites for plant life. Scottish
scientists are helping China protect its unique environment
for the benefit of future generations."
The Scottish Executive will provide £20,000 each year
over three years to support the Lijiang exchange programme.
A further £15,000 to fund a joint expedition between the
Royal Botanic Gardens Kunming Institute of Botany to
collect plant material for a joint study.
The First Minister also met with pupils from Balerno who
were taking part in a school exchange with students from
Beijing.