Source: CNTV    Published: 2015-10-23

A key feature of Chinese president Xi Jinping`s UK state visit -- is a stop in the Northern English city of Manchester. The British government hopes Chinese firms will be part of a massive development plan for that region. It fits into China`s much larger plan to link East and West.

China`s Xinjiang region, one of the most remote places on earth. But maybe not for much longer.

China`s One Belt One Road development corridor will link China and Asia to western Europe. A 21st century trade superhighway - and it will come right through Xinjiang.

That`s why this man - British finance minister George Osborne - visited the region during his recent trip to China. He wants British companies to have a slice of the construction pie.

But that`s not all. Osborne hopes to align his Northern Powerhouse project in the UK to the Belt and Road initiative. And China`s president supports it.

"The Belt and Road initiative is open and we know that when everyone adds wood to the fire, the higher the flame goes. We welcome the UK`s participation and we encourage Chinese companies to participate in the construction of the Northern Powerhouse and make more investments so we will achieve win-win results," Xi said.

Linking the northern English cities of Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield will cost money - lots of it. And the British government wants Chinese companies to help build High Speed 2 - better connecting the region to London and Europe. It`s just one part of Osborne`s plan to make Britain China`s closest western friend.

"There is no economy in the West that is as open to Chinese investment as the United Kingdom. We welcome Chinese investment. There`s huge amounts of Chinese investment coming into Britain at the moment, indeed we`re attracting more investment than Germany, France and Italy put together," UK Chancellor of The Exchequer George Osborne said.

Xinjiang-based Hualing group has already joined property projects in three northern English cities worth nearly two billion dollars.

And as investment and skills flow both ways - the British government hopes that`s just the start.