China to consider British help on tunnel in exchange for role in rail and energy projects
Country's engineers gained expertise building undersea link to France, but Beijing would expect to play role in railway, energy projects
China might allow Britain to take part in the construction of a large undersea tunnel in exchange for a role in its high-speed railway and nuclear power projects, a senior state firm engineer said.
Premier Li Keqiang began his first state visit to Britain yesterday and is expected to discuss finance and trade matters with his counterpart, David Cameron, during his trip.
Professor Wang Mengshu, deputy chief engineer with China Railway Tunnel Group and a senior scientific adviser to the government on high-speed railway projects, said British representatives had gone to China to discuss cooperation in the construction of the 123km Bohai Strait Tunnel.
The project, which was submitted to the central government for final approval earlier this year, would connect Dalian in Liaoning and Yantai in Shandong province.
The 260 billion yuan (HK$323.7 billion) tunnel would exceed the combined length of Japan's Seikan tunnel and the tunnel that connects England to France.
"Britain has offered the technology and experience that they acquired in the construction under the English Channel," Wang said. "China has asked them to come up with a plan with technical details."