Chinese Orient for Labour Sino-British ‘New’ Relations – Gordon Brown’S First Visit to China As PM

The Official Newsletter of the August 2008 • Volume 1 Chinese Orient for Labour Sino-British ‘new’ relations – Gordon Brown’s first visit to China as PM was accompanied on his trip by more than twenty British and European business figures. The two countries were keen to boost bilateral trade by 50% by 2010. This, according to Mr Brown, will create “tens of thousands” of jobs in the UK. Mr Brown was also optimistic that 100 new Chinese companies would invest in the from the Chair… UK by 2010. Mr Brown also officiated at the opening of the Chinese division of the London Stock Exchange in Beijing. 2008 heralds a step change in the On environmental issues, Mr Brown said that Britain and China activities of Chinese for Labour and we will work together on the development of higher level of are extremely happy that Ian McCartney cooperation which will lead the world in the creation of eco-cities has agreed to be one of our Patrons and and eco-towns. our Parliamentary Champion. His Ping Pong diplomacy was brought into play when the Chinese experience of the Party and of Premier Wen Jiabao and Gordon Brown watched a table tennis government will be invaluable as we seek performance by Chinese and British athletes at Renmin to grow our organization and we look University. During this visit, the Chinese Premier extended an forward to working closely with him on the invitation to Mr & Mrs Brown to the Beijing Olympics. Shanghai Expo 2010. The three-day visit also took Mr Brown to Shanghai, a major Our campaigning during the London economic and financial centre in east China, where he met elections and our annual CNY dinner has Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his wife, Sarah, were in Beijing Chinese entrepreneurs and witnessed the signing of a formed the core of our work. Later this & Shanghai in January this year – his first official visit since taking memorandum of understanding on the development of Dongtan year we will be heading out into the office in June 2007. Mr Brown met Chinese President Hu Jintao eco-city, the world’s first environmentally and economically regions – reaching out directly to build and Premier Wen Jiaboa during his short visit. sustainable city. Mr Brown’s visit injected new impetus into the Labour support amongst Chinese voters in The emphasis of the visit was mainly on trade and Mr Brown steadily progressing Sino-British relations. key and attack seats, as well as developing regional bases so that Chinese for Labour can work in partnership with local parties. Look out for forthcoming Celebrating the events in Manchester (during conference), in Bristol and in Brighton. Year of the Rat With the Beijing Olympics this year, China is firmly in the spotlight. I am in no One of the highlights doubt the Games will be the best ever. of Chinese for However, with the world’s focus on the Labour’s 2008 country will come increasing scrutiny of its calendar came policies, especially with regard to its on 13 February, attitude to human rights domestically and with our Chinese abroad. This will be a pivotal year for the New Year Dinner West’s relations with China. China’s celebration at the absolute pursuit of its national interest is Phoenix Palace exerting itself across the world in areas of Restaurant. strife such as Zimbabwe, Darfur and Organised jointly with the Labour Party, Burma. Whether the aspiring superpower more than 150 guests joined us to learns the lessons of other superpowers welcome the Year of the Rat in style, with past and present remains to be seen. a champagne reception, a magnificent Whilst awareness of China continues to banquet and even better company. Guests grow, Labour politicians must continue to included Foreign Secretary, the Rt Hon bear in mind the social and economic David Miliband MP, Acting General needs of the UK Chinese population. I Secretary, Chris Lennie and the Deputy welcome the practical work of our Chinese Mayor of London, Nicky Gavron AM. for Labour Executive members along with Opening the evening was Chinese for others to develop proposals for an extra Labour’s new patron, the Rt Hon Ian care home for Chinese pensioners. We are McCartney MP. He spoke of his time as a fully supportive of Labour’s drive to ensure seaman and of his new role as the UK celebrated the “Chinese community’s that health and social care is personalized, Commissioner General for the Shanghai London calling contribution to the cultural and economic effective and culturally appropriate. It Expo 2010. In the run-up to the London elections held life of our capital”. draws a sharp contrast to former Shadow As with other communities, Chinese on 1 May 2008, Chinese for Labour was Ken Livingstone was steadfast in his Home Secretary, David Davis’s view that families place an extremely high value on able to gain a considerable amount of support of Chinese cultural activities in such facilities “feed extremism”. a good education for their children so we coverage for Labour’s campaign in the London including Chinese New Year Despite census figures which suggest a were pleased to welcome the Rt Hon Jim Chinese press and ran an active online celebrations in Trafalgar Square and China population of around 250,000 (and other Knight MP (Minister of State for Schools campaign. in London and China Now. He opened estimates upwards of that) and a high and Learners) as our main speaker. Jim Members distributed a bilingual leaflet offices in Shanghai and Beijing and level of integration, there continues to be a spoke of the need to build knowledge and showcasing Labour candidates, Labour’s ensured that business support is provided low level of visibility in certain areas of cultural understanding between the United policies and a ‘how to vote’ guide. We ran to Chinese companies wishing to list / set Britain’s public sphere including politics. In Kingdom and China, on the teaching of an active and lively street stall (despite up in London. November, I was pleased to attend the Mandarin in schools and on the torrential rain!) in Chinatown’s Gerrard Contrast this with Boris Johnson’s view Pearl Awards to celebrate the Government’s investment in state Street, with the support of Deputy Mayor, that: “Chinese cultural influence is virtually achievement of individuals and education. He praised the achievements Nicky Gavron and Assembly Member nil, and unlikely to increase’. During the organisations of Chinese origin, for their of Chinese children, and suggested that Murad Qureshi. We also campaigned in campaign, the Tory candidate was work towards raising the profile and there might be lessons to be learned from Oriental City in Brent for candidate, Navin considering whether financial support for creating a positive image of Chinese them in order to improve educational Shah and were pleased that he won back cultural festivals would be provided under people in multi-cultural Britain. attainment across the board. the Brent and Harrow seat from the Tories. his Mayoralty, and was looking at the Finally, I look forward to seeing you at In the year of the Beijing Olympics, our Before the election, Ken Livingstone closure of the offices in China – putting some of our many events. I hope you will after dinner speaker was six-time said that: “China is the most dynamic London’s economy at risk. consider joining Chinese for Labour – you Olympian, Tessa Sanderson CBE. Tessa economy in the world and London is the Unfortunately, whilst Ken was able to can find a membership application form described her journey to her Olympic Gold world’s most international city. Our city increase his vote across the Capital the on page 4 of this newsletter. Your support in 1984 and proved to be a passionate can only benefit from the strongest Tories took the Mayoralty. We will continue helps us to work with a traditionally ‘hard advocate of the Games. She spoke of the possible business, economic, tourism and to keep a close watch on the activities of to reach’ (but sizeable) population and to G Continued on Page 2 cultural links with China” and has the Tory Mayor. get them voting Labour. economy. We have evidence of many Migration and the Chinese community Chinese restaurant owners who are in danger of losing chefs and other staff he British Government recognises policy framework which will deter the ministers and the Labour Government and therefore putting themselves out of the economic and social value of exploitation of potential migrant workers the need for fair, transparent and business. Tmigration. In its response to the by unscrupulous employers, recruitment managed migration policies and Chinese for Labour welcomes the recent House of Lords Committee report agencies, gangmasters and the criminal programmes. CfL has also called for points-based system but is urging the on the economic impacts of migration, fraternity. We have witnessed the tragic better inter-governmental working to Government to recognise the labour the Government presented evidence consequences of this in our own tackle human trafficking and shortages of the Chinese catering showing that immigration has a made a Chinese community from the Dover 58 exploitation, better regulation of industry (alongside other ethnic catering positive contribution to the GDP per and Morecambe Bay events. recruitment agencies, licensing of industries) and further to ensure that this capita of people born in the UK. Earlier in 2008, as part of a wider gangmasters and measures to tackle system is sufficiently flexible in order Between mid-2001 and mid-2006, new policy framework, the Government exploitation by unscrupulous employers that issues highlighted by our sector migration has been estimated to introduced a points-based system, of migrant employees in the UK.

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