From the Scottish Business News Network yesterday:
‘The first ever direct flights from Scotland to China will begin in June. The ground-breaking announcement will see Hainan Airlines flights to Beijing beginning from 12th June, flying 4 weekly on an Airbus A330-300. It’s part of an innovative flight model which links in three capital cities – Beijing, Edinburgh and Dublin. The route will fly from Beijing to Dublin and then onto Edinburgh and then back to Beijing on Thursdays and Sundays, flying to Edinburgh and then Dublin and then back to Beijing on Tuesdays and Saturdays. It marks the successful culmination of Edinburgh Airport’s partnership working with colleagues in China to attract these routes to Scotland in a move which will benefit the country’s economy, culture and
https://sbnn.co.uk/2018/03/15/first-direct-flights-from-scotland-to-china-to-begin/
Evidence of the appeal of Scotland to Chinese consumers and tourists has been apparent for some time now and was reported here in:
After 45% increase in Whisky exports to China, they cut the tariffs by 10%. Eh?
China increases imports of Scottish oil from 8 to 38 million barrels in only 4 months
While some, especially hypocritical Tories, have expressed concerns about China’s human rights record, it’s difficult to take these seriously as ‘we’ embrace Saudi Arabia. I do have some concerns myself but then I have concerns about the UK’s human rights record too as the RAF bomb urban/civilian areas in Iraq and Syria. Further, there are some important factors not much shared in our media which might moderate the concerns about China. See:
Why Nicola Sturgeon has no reason to protest to China about Tibet
Talking-up Scotland 