International cooperation

China warns Theresa May to make ‘wise strategic choices’ over Hinkley Point nuclear deal

Beijing has warned Prime Minister Theresa May to consider Britain’s relationship with China carefully after she suspended the construction of a new nuclear power plant by Chinese engineers over national security concerns.

May, who will visit China for the first time as PM later this week for the G20 summit, has angered Beijing with her decision to delay construction of the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant.

China’s ambassador to the UK published a prominent opinion piece in the state-run China Daily newspaper on Thursday, imploring the PM to make “wise strategic choices” concerning Britain’s relationship with Beijing.

Liu Xiaoming did not explicitly mention Hinkley, but said “a number of steps need to be taken in order to maintain the momentum in the relationship” between Britain and China.