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UK Minister Urged More Sino-British Mutual Investment in E-Commerce
Britain's E-Commerce Minister Patricia Hewitt Thursday urged more mutual investment between China and Britain in information technology, saying Britain is an natural destination for those Chinese companies wishing to open business in Europe.
"The UK is the number one choice for investment into the EU, and Europe's leading e-trading nation. We are the world's largest overseas investor, and a world leader in mobile telephony, digital television, games and other creative industries. That makes the UK perfectly placed to be China and Japan's best friend in Europe," said Hewitt, minister for small business and e-commerce at the department of trade and industry, at a press briefing here on Thursday.
Hewitt is expected to visit China and Japan from January 15 to January 19 and she will be Britain's first e-commerce minister to visit China and Japan. The minister will promote Britain as the partner of choices for trade and investment in e-commerce and the new technologies.
During her visit to China, Hewitt will sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Chinese Information Minister Wu Jichuan. The MOU identifies further cooperation on a range of e-commerce policy issues such as consumer confidence, authentication, trustmarks and privacy. Collaboration is promised on aspects of e- commerce such as data protection, intellectual property rights, and electronic signatures.
"China is a rapidly developing e-commerce nation. Ten times as many as Chinese people use the internet today compared to two years ago and 60 million people own a mobile phone. Trade between our countries is at a record high with UK exports to China totaling 1.8 billion pounds (about 2.7 billion U.S.dollars) in 1999," she said.
"China's leading high-tech firms recognize that they need European partners and a global reach if they are to succeed internationally. The UK is very attractive to high-tech investors. We have the most developed e-commerce sector and lowest unmetered internet access costs outside North America. That is why we will be supporting top Chinese companies who are looking to open up or expand their presence in the UK," she added.
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