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| Northern Powerhouse project has 'Chinese backing' - David Cameron | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The government's so-called Northern Powerhouse project is gathering strength and now has "Chinese backing", Prime Minister David Cameron has said. | |
| It comes as the PM and Chinese President Xi Jinping are in Manchester on the last day of Mr Xi's state visit. | |
| Mr Xi has visited Manchester University and joined the Mr Cameron at Manchester City's football academy. | |
| Deals for direct flights between Manchester and Beijing and education funding are also due to be announced. | |
| Football academy | Football academy |
| Mr Cameron and Mr Xi met current and former Manchester City and Manchester United players, including Gary Neville, Patrick Vieira, Denis Law and Mike Summerbee, at the Manchester City football academy. | Mr Cameron and Mr Xi met current and former Manchester City and Manchester United players, including Gary Neville, Patrick Vieira, Denis Law and Mike Summerbee, at the Manchester City football academy. |
| The president, who is reportedly a Manchester United fan, was given a tour of the club's 80-acre training complex and was shown the last-minute goal that clinched Manchester City the 2012 Premier League title. | The president, who is reportedly a Manchester United fan, was given a tour of the club's 80-acre training complex and was shown the last-minute goal that clinched Manchester City the 2012 Premier League title. |
| Speaking after the visit, Mr Cameron told the BBC: "I think this is a great day for Manchester and a great day for the whole of the north of England." | |
| "You can really see the Northern Powerhouse gathering strength and it's now got Chinese backing too," he added. | |
| Mr Xi is attending lunch at Manchester Town Hall alongside Mr Cameron and business, civic and community representatives. | Mr Xi is attending lunch at Manchester Town Hall alongside Mr Cameron and business, civic and community representatives. |
| Earlier he joined the Chancellor George Osborne for a visit to the National Graphene Institute at the University of Manchester. | |
| The science institute leads research into graphene, a super-strong, flexible and electrically conductive material. | |
| Mr Osborne said billions of pounds of investment will be coming into northern England, saying there was now "unstoppable momentum" behind the Northern Powerhouse project. | |
| The leaders will also visit Manchester Airport, where the new Hainan Airlines route - which the UK government says will provide a £50m boost to the Manchester economy - will be announced. | The leaders will also visit Manchester Airport, where the new Hainan Airlines route - which the UK government says will provide a £50m boost to the Manchester economy - will be announced. |
| It will be the first direct route from the UK to China outside London. | It will be the first direct route from the UK to China outside London. |
| What is the Northern Powerhouse? | What is the Northern Powerhouse? |
| Further deals set to be agreed include the appointing of a Beijing firm BCEG as main contractor for the Middlewood Locks regeneration project in Manchester. The company is expected to provide £4m to kickstart the project. | Further deals set to be agreed include the appointing of a Beijing firm BCEG as main contractor for the Middlewood Locks regeneration project in Manchester. The company is expected to provide £4m to kickstart the project. |
| Education partnerships including schools and universities are also set to be agreed. | Education partnerships including schools and universities are also set to be agreed. |
| The visit comes as Mr Cameron seeks to promote the government's Northern Powerhouse agenda. | |
| A series of investment deals have been signed during Mr Xi's four-day visit to the UK, including an agreement with EDF Energy and China General Nuclear Power Corporation (CGN) for a nuclear power plant at Hinkley Point, Somerset. | |
| However, protests have also been held by groups unhappy with China's human rights record, including one outside Manchester Town Hall to coincide with Mr Xi's visit. | |
| China and the UK | China and the UK |
| What does China own in the UK? | What does China own in the UK? |
| Banquets and tiaras: China reacts to Xi UK visit | Banquets and tiaras: China reacts to Xi UK visit |
| China and 'the Osborne Doctrine' | China and 'the Osborne Doctrine' |
| How China guards the Xi creation myth | How China guards the Xi creation myth |
| Can UK be China's best partner in the West? | Can UK be China's best partner in the West? |
| Who is President Xi Jinping? | Who is President Xi Jinping? |
| Chequers talks | |
| On Wednesday, the two leaders held talks at Chequers focusing on "domestic priorities and foreign policy issues". | |
| Downing Street said they had agreed that early dialogue between the two countries could help find diplomatic solutions for global and regional security challenges. | |
| The visit to Manchester came as Mr Osborne announced new devolution deals for the North East of England. | |
| The chancellor's measures will mean Newcastle and Sunderland, and Tees Valley will both vote in a directly elected mayor in 2017. | The chancellor's measures will mean Newcastle and Sunderland, and Tees Valley will both vote in a directly elected mayor in 2017. |
| The North East deal will transfer powers over transport, strategic planning, employment and skills from Whitehall to the region. | The North East deal will transfer powers over transport, strategic planning, employment and skills from Whitehall to the region. |
| It enables the authority to create an investment fund with an initial allocation of funding for capital financing of at least £30m a year for 30 years. | It enables the authority to create an investment fund with an initial allocation of funding for capital financing of at least £30m a year for 30 years. |
| The Tees Valley deal will see its investment fund guaranteed at least £15m a year. | The Tees Valley deal will see its investment fund guaranteed at least £15m a year. |