UK Government expects to decide ‘soon’ on Chinese wind turbine factory plan

The UK Government expects to decide “soon” whether to approve a Chinese firm’s plans to build the UK’s largest wind turbine manufacturing facility in Scotland but has to consider security, the trade minister has said.

Sir Chris Bryant said that in matters relating to infrastructure the UK Government has to consider whether an investment is “safe and secure” before coming to a decision.

Ming Yang last autumn announced plans to build the UK’s largest wind turbine manufacturing facility in Ardersier near Inverness.

The company said the £1.5 billion project could create 1,500 jobs.

Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland’s Breakfast programme Sir Chris was asked whether the UK Government is going to approve the project.

He said a final decision has not been made and that the UK has to be “clear eyed” about its relationship with China and has to challenge them on issues such as human rights.

Sir Chris said: “Also everybody will know that there have been issues around espionage in the UK, we need to make sure that all our critical national infrastructure is safe and secure.”

Asked whether a decision on Ardersier has taken so long because of security concerns, Sir Chris said: “It’s taken so long because we want to make sure that we don’t flip flop in our relationship with China.

“So any aspect of our critical national infrastructure, we want to make sure that the investment is safe, secure, and is going to do the business for us as well as for China.

“And so I expect we’ll be able to make a decision soon.”

Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney has previously warned that the renewables industry in Scotland would be “set back” if the proposals are rejected.

When asked about a timeframe for a decision on Ardersier, Sir Chris said: “The best I can do, I’m afraid, on our timeline, is that we hope to make a decision soon.”

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is currently visiting China and met Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday as he made the case for a “more sophisticated” relationship between the two countries.

Under deals agreed on the visit, tariffs on Scotch whisky are set to be halved to 5%.

Sir Chris said: “What you really need to achieve is a steady, eyes wide open relationship with China, which is about driving up trade, cooperating where we can, challenging them, where we where we have to and and making sure that there are so many issues in the world, and whether it’s climate change or World Trade Organisation rules or whatever it is where, the UK has to work with China if we’re going to get an outcome that really works for the world.”