May Writes Letter to Reassure Xi of London's Commitment to UK-China Relations

UK Prime Minister Theresa May wrote a letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping in a bid to reassure him about London’s commitment to strong ties with Beijing, according to a source in May’s office.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The letter comes after Chinese Ambassador to London Liu Xiaoming said earlier this month that the two countries’ bilateral relations were at a "crucial historical juncture," as reports emerged of May ordering a delay in the approval of the UK-Chinese Hinkley Point C nuclear power station project.

"It is about reassuring the Chinese of our commitment to Anglo-Chinese relations," the source was quoted as saying by The Guardian newspaper.

The letter was reportedly handed by UK diplomat Alok Sharma to Chinese Foreign Ministry officials in Beijing.

May put Hinkley on hold earlier this month as the Chinese involvement in the project sparked security concerns. A new governmental review of the project is now expected to be carried out, with a decision on the approval to be made in the early fall.

Hinkley Point C is a project to construct a nuclear power station in southwest England, licensed by the UK government in 2012. The nuclear power plant is expected to meet 7 percent of the United Kingdom's energy needs once it opens in 2025.

The financing and construction for the project is to be provided in part by French energy giant EDF (Electricite de France), one of the world's largest producers of electricity. EDF intends to co-finance it together with China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN), which plans to invest 33 percent of the total cost or 18 billion pounds ($23.5 billion).