We can all visit China now.

Cynically - China wants unopposed permission for their “mega embassy” in London.
I’ll scratch your back?

RosiesMawagain

Cynically - China wants unopposed permission for their “mega embassy” in London.
I’ll scratch your back?

Ooh how can you think that?

Oh hold me back , I must book my ticket...

... not yet.
And only for 30 days without a visa.

I think we ate still talking!

*are not "ate"

I know a number of people who have already visited China and had wonderful experiences

According to the Chinese spokesman the visa free travel deal is still at the negotiating stage and not a done deal 🤷‍♀️

RosiesMawagain

Cynically - China wants unopposed permission for their “mega embassy” in London.
I’ll scratch your back?

It’s already been approved?

I believe that plans for this structure had been drawn up some years ago.
I am no supporter of China, but tend to the view that if Mr Trump doesn't like something, and he has expressed his disapproval of British deals with China, it's probably quite a good idea

I think you're right Chocolatelovingran. Rather than being discouraging, his remarks have the opposite effect.

I’d always wanted to cruise on the Yangtze river.
That’s all I wanted to see but not possible unless you had an accredited tour operator and jump through all hoops that entailed.
It did not bode well from the off. Standing at security at Shanghai airport I committed the heinous crime of not queuing neatly. A security guard gripped my arm ( firmly) and pushed me back in line.
That happened again at one of the temple complex’s. I was roughly pushed by one of their automatons ( I’m sure they are not human) because a car with an American flag on the grill was coming into the complex.
I could go on but that would get boring 😂
But one more. I got food poisoning on my 60th birthday end up on a drip in hospital 😂 You had to laugh.

It is really not a good idea.

We could visit China before, we just needed a visa, like we do if we visit a lot of countries. We toured China in 2016 and our experience was different to Petra’s. We were able to visit a lot of sites on our own and weren’t bothered by the security forces. The Chinese, however, are not a pleasant people. We frequently saw them pointing and laughing at overweight foreigners and hassling people on the pretence of leaving English. On our trip on the Yangtze, foreigners were allowed in to the dining room early as it was buffet style, the captain told us that when the Chinese came in it was like a plague of locusts and they pushed and shoved, piling up plates with food which they never finished.

We’ve been able to for years. Sister and BiL went some years ago - sister said it was ‘interesting’ but she wouldn’t want to go again.
Can’t say it’s ever appealed to me.

I don’t suppose it’s a place many British tourists would rush to but my dd has been travelling round there for some weeks and loves it.

My feeling is that Trump has a far shrewder idea of what is going wrong with other countries' political dealings than he has of his own.
Starmer is not effectual in global politics, he simply is a toady attempting to create the impression he is at the centre of world events by being photographed with those who consider themselves to be world leaders.

Other countries are turning to China and away from the US. Of course Trump won't like it but he has brought this about with his treatment of those countries.
Not sure if it's a good or a bad thing for the UK but time will tell.

China is a fabulous place to visit , full of history and very colourful. The food is also very good ( even if you have no idea what it actually is !) The last time we went I was totally blown away by how far they had ‘progressed’ in just a few years. It would take Australia at least 50 years to progress like that, too many rules and unnecessary regulations. If they want to do something or build something they just get on with it. The greater good and all that. Having said that, I couldn’t live there they don’t take to foreigners ( especially white ones ) unlike the west which just loves people from violent countries with different ideologies.

I doubt we will be able to travel to China but wish we had done so when both able bodied.
Seems that Canada, the UK, and now Germany, are seeking a new and rather uneasy alliance with China. With the old world order crumbling I think it is wise for countries to look realistically at all options whilst being aware of the pitfalls.

pably15

Oh hold me back , I must book my ticket...

😂

AGAA4

Other countries are turning to China and away from the US. Of course Trump won't like it but he has brought this about with his treatment of those countries.
Not sure if it's a good or a bad thing for the UK but time will tell.

It’s a bad thing.
China is slowly but surely buying up all sorts of things in countries all round the world including the UK. On top of that they are making countries totally reliant on them for the future.
If not very careful many countries will end up as vassal states to them.
Trump won’t be President forever and the US is a democracy and trusted ally.

Starmer hasn’t come away with much despite all the grovelling, half tariffs for Scottish whisky suppliers and no visas needed for up to a 30 day stay there for tourists.Whoopydooda.🤬

Why are negotiations with other countries by our Prime Minister seen as " grovelling", or " toadying"?
Are the activities of other leaders being villified, or just ours?

Chocolatelovinggran

I believe that plans for this structure had been drawn up some years ago.
I am no supporter of China, but tend to the view that if Mr Trump doesn't like something, and he has expressed his disapproval of British deals with China, it's probably quite a good idea

Just so!