Prime Minister David Cameron has promised China’s leadership that there will be ‘very open competition’ for investments in HS2.
The Prime Minister made the pledge during talks in Beijing with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang, who expressed an interest in putting Chinese money behind the project which will see a new line built north from London to Birmingham before continuing north in a Y-shape to Manchester.
Mr Cameron revealed the commitment while answering questions from students at Shanghai’s Jiao Tong university.
He said: “My Government has taken a very clear view that the countries that will succeed in the future are the countries with the most modern infrastructure.
“We think we have a lot to learn from China in this regard because of the success of your high-speed rail.
“I said to your President and Prime Minister yesterday that, just as we welcome Chinese investment into nuclear power and other infrastructure, so there will be very open competition to provide the infrastructure for our networks, so we welcome Chinese investment into that as well.”