"We hope we can work on some good railway projects in the UK."

Liu Yuling, general manager of China Civil Engineering Construction Corp, which has built railways in Algeria, Libya, Nigeria and other countries. His words were echoed by other top Chinese contractors who are looking to take part in railway projects in the United Kingdom, seeing that as a way to promote their brands in developed economies.

"My opinion is not the same as what some people in America say, so do some Europeans, that they want to see the renminbi appreciate rapidly."

Giles Merritt, secretary-general of the Brussels-based Friends of Europe, saying that a further slowdown in the Chinese economy would drag down global growth.

(China Daily 11/09/2012 page14)