China, Britain develop stronger relations 1.1 Britain Plans to Embed its World Expo Pavilion The United Kingdom will embed more than 60,000 seeds, which can be planted after the World Expo 2010, into the structure of its pavilion to urge people to protect natural species from extinction. The UK Expo team has signed a contract with the Expo organizer to participate in Expo Online. The country also updated its Expo pavilion design, which will be an open gift box "from Britain to the Chinese people". The seeds will be put inside 60,000 needle-like protrusions covering the surface of the 6,000-square-meter pavilion. The seeds will be well-protected and will not grow during the 184-day event, Carma Elliot, British consul general in Shanghai, was quoted as saying by Thursday's Shanghai Daily.

The seeds demonstrate the concept of sustainability, the diversity of nature and urge people to protect the environment for future generations, Elliot said. The idea promotes the Millennium Seed Bank Project, an international conservation project launched by the country's Royal Botanic Gardens in 2000. It is designed to provide an insurance policy against the extinction of plants in the wild by storing seeds for future use. The project aims to collect seeds from 24,000 species of plants by 2010. The UK team is choosing seeds for the pavilion from a seed bank in Kunming, Yunnan Province, which is the Chinese branch of the project, Elliot said, adding they are still considering how to use the seeds after the Expo ends. The UK Pavilion - "A Pavilion of Ideas" - will look like a huge "light box" with thousands of needle-like protrusions tipped with tiny colored lights to display images. Construction on the pavilion began in March.

1.2 China, Britain develop stronger relations --- Premier Wen's "trip of Confidence" to Europe Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (R) shakes hands with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown during the dinner Brown hosts for him at the British prime minister's official residence on the outskirts of London Jan. 31, 2009. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao arrived in London on Jan. 31 for a three-day visit to Britain. BEIJING, Feb. 2 -- Relations between China and Britain have come a long way in the past 30 years. Partnerships have deepened, and both sides are seeking to work closer together in these tough economic times.

Since establishments of bilateral ties at the ambassador-level in March 1972, Sino-British relations has overcome a variety of challenges and achieved steady progress. From the return of Hong Kong to China to the forging of a strategic partnership in 2004. After assuming office in 2007, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said relations with China are important to Britain, especially on economic issues. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said, "Relationship between China and Britain are very strong. The trade between China and Britain is growing very fast indeed. It is not just one-way, it is two-way."

Trade volume in 2008 was worth over 40 billion US dollars Trade volume in 2008 was worth over 40 billion US dollars. Britain has accumulated investment in China of more than 15 billion US dollars. Britain was one of the earliest west-European countries to tap into the Chinese market, and the two countries have long-established cooperative partnership. Economic ties are particularly strong in the fields of energy, chemicals and the environment. In January 2008, Chinese premier Wen Jiabao met with Gordon Brown in Beijing. The two sides signed 800-million-US dollars worth of contracts on education, energy and the environment. The two sides hoped to boost bilateral trade volume to 60 billion US dollars.

Chinese premier Wen Jiabao said, "We have established a very good work and personal relationship. We had a frank exchange of views on a wide range of issues. Through our joint efforts, the Sino-British relationship has entered a new stage of comprehensive development." "Comprehensive" means focusing not just on economic issues. Culture exchanges have also bonded the two nations. London will succeed Beijing as the host city of the Olympics, so it's naturally sharing China's experiences in hosting the Summer Games. But it's also forging stronger links with China to weather the economic downturn together.

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