UK Prime Minister Goes Shopping in China
If you're looking for David Cameron, the British Prime Minister, don't bother going to 10 Downing Street. He's popped out to Tesco - in China.
The PM, along with a team of cabinet ministers and business leaders, has dashed across to Beijing on a shopping trip. Perhaps he's hoping to grab some early Christmas bargains in a bid to lift the spirits of a gloomy, rain-swept Britain.
He does seem to be having some success. Pork's on the menu with an agreement that Britain can supply breeding pigs to China, and they're raising a glass to the Chinese recognition that 'scotch' whiskey is produced solely in Scotland.
These deals alone are probably worth the best part of a hundred million pounds for British business. On top of that Cameron's visit includes the announcement of more technical contracts for architects and machine makers. Not as glamorous as pigs and whiskey, perhaps, but more valuable than your average Christmas cracker gift.
Britain "wants to have a much, much stronger relationship with China" said Cameron, as reported on the BBC news website. He's probably thinking of the one that France already enjoys - President Sarkozy walked away from his visit last week with contracts worth billions, dwarfing this week's haul.
So perhaps that's why Cameron started his visit in Tesco, the global retail success story that's made in Britain. Having opened 99 stores in China since 2004 they know a thing or two about how to spot a bargain there. Perhaps they can give him some tips.
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