On this episode of China Uncensored,
a fission is forming between the UK and China.
Hi, welcome to China Uncensored, I’m your host Chris Chappell.
You know, when I think of nuclear technology,
I think of one thing.
Ok, I think of two things.
"What do I do? What do I do?
In the name of God you got to tell me!"
Ok, I think of three things.
The third thing is China.
China has been investing billions of dollars in foreign countries,
including buying stakes in things like power plants, water utilities, and electrical grids.
I guess they're so good at being a developing country,
that they've decided to develop other countries, too.
Let's talk about the power plants.
Though you might know China for its investment in clean energy,
the Chinese regime actually wants to help the United Kingdom
build its dream nuclear power plant.
The state-owned China General Nuclear Power
promised to put up about a third of the cost
for the $23 billion dollar state-of-the-art facility at Hinkley Point in England.
If completed, it could provide electricity for nearly 6 million homes.
It will also be the world's first power plant
that apologizes profusely every time it lets off steam.
Oh dear, I’m terribly sorry about that.
Now, a lot of people thought this was a good idea.
“I think this is going to be a very important moment for British-Chinese relations
which are in a very good state,
something of a golden era in our relationship.”
A golden era?
Maybe, possibly, the guy who just caused the biggest geopolitical divorce in modern history,
might not be the best judge of relationships.
Although, when your first and second dates are both of the Opium Wars,
I guess your relationship can only go up from there.
Yeah.
Anyway, the Hinkley Point nuclear deal
seems much less glowy now,
because there's a new prime minister in town.
Just as investors gathered to finalized the agreement,
the new British Prime Minister Theresa May
said she needed some time to think about it first.
Uh oh.
Guys, here's some China Uncensored relationship advice.
When you ask your strategic partner for a commitment
whether you do it with a diamond ring,
or say, a stake in a 23 billion dollar nuclear power plant
and she says she has to think about it first,
that's not the best sign.
You see, last year, while Britain’s then-Prime Minister David Cameron
and China’s leader Xi Jinping were having a stag night at the local Pig 'n' Whistle,
current-Prime Minister Theresa May’s advisor wrote this editorial.
He wrote that British Intelligence felt
“the intelligence services of…China…continue to work against UK interests at home and abroad.”
And he warned that if a Chinese state-run corporation
had access to the computers at the Hinkley Point reactor,
China could “shut down Britain’s energy production at will.”
Which is kind of like
giving someone the keys to your house and your car after the third date.
Only, then there’s just a risk of an emotional meltdown.
Maybe that’s why Prime Minister May has a so-called
“general prejudice” against Chinese investment.
You know who else might have a “general prejudice?”
The United States.
Because just after Prime Minister May delayed the nuclear deal, this story broke.
Apparently the same Chinese state-owned company
that wants to invest in Hinkley Point
is facing charges of nuclear espionage from the US Department of Justice.
China General Nuclear Power is being accused
of stealing nuclear technology research from the US
to help speed up its production of Chinese reactors
for almost twenty years.
That's...also not the best sign.
So what do you think of the Hinkley Point nuclear plant?
Should the UK put a ring on it?
Leave your comments below.
Thanks for watching this episode of China Uncensored.
Once again I’m Chris Chappell, see you next time.