China’s Official News Agency Questions Hinkley Point Postponement

1 Aug (NucNet): China’s official news agency has questioned the British government’s postponement of approval for the Hinkley Point nuclear power station, saying it cannot risk driving away Chinese investors. A commentary published by Xinhua, which is often seen as a reflection of official thinking, said China understood and respected Britain’s requirement for more time to think about the deal. “However, what China cannot understand is the ‘suspicious approach’ that comes from nowhere to Chinese investment,” it said. “The British government is actually running the risk of dampening the hard-won mutual trust with China,” Xinhua said. “For a kingdom striving to pull itself out of the Brexit aftermath, openness is the key way out,” it said. Theresa May, the prime minister, is understood to be concerned about the security implications of a planned Chinese investment in Hinkley and has delayed giving the £18bn (€21bn, $23bn) project the green light.