TOKYO – The UK should learn how to build roads and railways more quickly from China, Sir Keir Starmer has suggested after finishing his visit to the country.
The Prime Minister insisted that his plan for a digital ID card would not be modelled on China’s oppressive system of monitoring the population using apps.
But he did indicate that Britain could imitate the country’s rapid infrastructure development – and also predicted that more British people will be learning Mandarin in future.
Starmer spent three days in Beijing and Shanghai before travelling to Tokyo on Saturday and then flying home.
Asked what inspiration he had taken from the Asian superpower, the Prime Minister said: “On technology and on things like infrastructure, the speed at which they’re acting is really important. And I feel that on things like infrastructure we’re too slow in the United Kingdom.”
China has built thousands of miles of high-speed rail and millions of homes over the past few years, in a stark contrast to Britain.
A smart bullet train in Beijing which runs on China’s high-speed rail network (Photo: Lyu Biao/VCG via Getty Images)But the country pays little heed to ordinary people’s concerns about developments, with the Communist regime able to dictate what type of construction it wants to happen.
Starmer insisted, however, that he would not turn to China for inspiration about how to set up the UK’s network of digital ID, despite the country’s experience with “super apps” such as WeChat which combine messaging, banking, online shopping and more.
He said: “We’ll do it our own way, with a UK perspective, so we’ll be very UK-focused in relation to digital ID.”
Shortly before he left Shanghai, the Prime Minister had a meeting with actress Rosamund Pike, who is doing work in China and says she has encouraged her children to learn the country’s language.
Your next read
square PIP ExplainedThe earliest dates PIP and universal credit could change under benefits reform
square POLITICS ExclusiveReform surge to 12-point poll lead over Labour – as Tory support falls
square EXPATSAt 51, I bought my dream home in Sicily for €1. Then came the catch
square NEWS Newsletter (£)Why dry eyes and skin problems might have an overlooked (and revolting) cause
Starmer said that “a lot of businesses are encouraging people to learn Mandarin” but refused to commit to expanding the teaching of the language in schools.
He also insisted that he would continue to push for “optimism” on the global stage, amid a sense that Britain’s social contract has become frayed.
The Prime Minister said: “I think we’ve all got a responsibility to inject that optimism and make sure that we talk up what we’re good at as a country. And we’re not always as good of that as we should be.”
Hence then, the article about uk can learn lessons from china to speed up rail and road projects starmer suggests was published today ( ) and is available on inews ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( UK can learn lessons from China to speed up rail and road projects, Starmer suggests )
Also on site :