There couldn’t have been a more powerful image of Wales lack of economic importance or its underperformance over the years compared to our Scottish Cousins as there was at Edinburgh Airport today, when the Vice Premier of economic powerhouse China, Li Keqiang started his 4 day visit to the UK in Edinburgh and was met by Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond.
As well as the obvious diplomatic boost Alex Salmond got today he could also point to the confirmation of a £10million renewable energy deal between Scottish and Chinese companies, some WAG Ministers could only dream of.
Mr Keqiang will also meet David Cameron, Nick Clegg, William Hague and Chancellor George Osborne during his trip, so Alex Salmond’s inclusion in welcoming shows what’s possible for Devolved Government and their leaders. Can anyone see Carwyn or Ieuan being in a position where they would be included in something like this, no me either.
But back to issues at hand, even if we over look the fact that Cardiff Airport couldn’t have handled the landing of the Vice Premier’s plane due to the lack of vision of Cardiff Airport’s Management and Owners plus the lack of engagement from Wales First Minister Carwyn Jones and Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones of the business, social and cultural opportunities that China offers, the fact that the man tipped by many to be China next Premier started his trip to the UK in Edinburgh, met by Scotland First Minister and announced a multi million pound investment in Scotland by one of the world’s rising economic powers highlights how far behind the rest of the UK we have fallen and how far our political leaders still have to travel in their economic thinking to make Wales visible on a UK stage never mind a European or International one.Any source
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