(Image: Yinjia Pan)
From Ludo Thierry
From news.gov.scot the other day – link and snippets below: (Scottish Govt – Working assiduously to win friends abroad and improve trade – using trade and diplomacy and good relations to better influence our friends abroad):
https://news.gov.scot/news/promoting-scotland-china-relations
Latest overall export figures show exports from Scotland to China were worth £625 million in 2017 – rising from £590 million in 2016.
Food and drink exports to China were worth £130 million in 2018 – an increase of 10% since 2017 and up 177% since 2007. This includes growing demand for exports of Scotch Whisky to China which were worth £76 million in 2018. Last week, whisky distillers Gordon & MacPhail announced they are releasing a 70 year old malt exclusively for the Chinese market through distributor Spirit Empire.
From beeb today – link and snippets below: (Westminster govt dreaming it remains a colonial ‘power’. Benefits of the Union, anyone?)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-48855643
China has warned the UK not to “interfere in its domestic affairs” amid a growing diplomatic row over the recent protests in Hong Kong.
Its UK ambassador said relations had been “damaged” by comments by Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt …. The ambassador has been summoned to the Foreign Office (FCO) later.
Talking-up Scotland 
This follows on from the previous Defence Minister, wishing to send a carrier to “confront” China, on its own backdoor and threatening Russia.
Just this week we are sending warships to the Baltic to face up to Russia. We have “arrested” an Iranian oil tanker in Gibraltar, and as the article states we have fallen out with China over Hong Kong liberties (the same democratic liberties they ignore in Scotland).
A lot of this is down to Hunt rattling his chains, as he tries to walk the “John Wayne” walk. On him it appears more of a mince.
Meanwhile May has hurried to Scotland to remind us how much she ignored this country (and Wales) over Brexit while she has been failing as PM.
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