Airport chief hails UK-Chinese trade talks as key to growth
BIRMINGHAM Airport’s chief executive has welcomed talks between the UK government and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on trade and visa requirements.
Paul Kehoe, CEO at the airport, said the talks were essential for bolstering UK-China relations.
Effective relations with China will form an increasingly important aspect of the airport’s expansion strategy as it prepares for the start of the first direct flights between Birmingham and Beijing.
The flights will begin on July 22 following the formal opening of the airport’s runway extension.
Kehoe said: “As the only region in the UK to have a positive balance of trade with China we know how essential these talks are. Businesses in the Midlands are telling us they want to fly direct to China which is why we have extended our runway for longer haul destinations and, on July 22, are delighted to be playing host to the first Beijing flights to a UK airport outside of London.”
Home Secretary Theresa May has announced that the Government will introduce easier forms for visa applicants from China and an agreement to allow travellers from China or India to come to the UK on Irish visas.
The Beijing charter flights are a result of a joint initiative between Birmingham Airport, China Southern Airlines, Caissa Travel Management Co Ltd and Birmingham China specialist agency, United Travel.
The West Midlands is the only UK region to enjoy a net balance of trade surplus with China, selling £1.74bn more last year than it imported. Much of this is due to the continued expansion of Jaguar Land Rover and its strengthening global markets.
In addition to China, the runway extension presents the airport with the opportunity to host long-haul flights to the likes of the west coast of the United States and to the emerging economies of South America and Asia.
The runway is part of the airport’s £200m long-term investment programme.
The investment is justified because of rising passenger numbers at the hub. Latest figures show a record-breaking performance in May with almost 900,000 passengers passing through the terminal, a 5.3% increase on the same month last year.
Elsewhere, Rolls-Royce has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with SNPTC, the Chinese nuclear reactor vendor, which will see the two parties collaborate in the field of civil nuclear power, both in the UK and other overseas markets.
Jason Smith, Rolls-Royce, President Nuclear, said: “China represents one of the world’s largest civil nuclear markets in which Rolls-Royce has been supplying safety-critical technology and solutions for 20 years.
“I am proud that we have built a partnership with SNPTC based on mutual trust. I look forward to exploring how we can broaden our work together in our domestic and international markets.”
The MoU will explore possible collaboration in areas such as engineering support, provision of components and systems, supply chain management and instrumentation and control technology.
