British Prime Minister Tony Blair and his Trade Secretary yesterday exhorted British business to invest heavily in the mainland, and pledged strong government backing to any company that sought to trade with Beijing.
Speaking at a conference in London devoted exclusively to building stronger business ties with the mainland, both Mr Blair, and Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Mandelson urged companies to grasp opportunities in the mainland.
'On the economic and commercial side, the prospects are limitless, despite problems elsewhere in Asia,' Mr Blair said.
Mr Mandelson, who is one of Mr Blair's closest political allies, said he believed that little else would be more important for Britain's commercial ties than to develop stronger links with the mainland.
Britain should become its largest business partner in Europe, he said.
'This has my personal attention, interest and engagement,' said Mr Mandelson.
But businesses attending the conference cast doubt on how desirable it was to invest in the mainland, recounting tales of painfully slow procedures, and years of losses without any prospects of profit.
