$503m deals announced in creative, technology sectors

Chinese President Xi Jinping (2nd R) and his wife, Peng Liyuan (R), applaud with Britain's Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge as they watch actors perform at Lancaster House in London, Britain Oct 21, 2015.[Photo/Agencies]

As China and Britain deepened their creative and technological cooperation, a carbon tax and a television training program were among a package of agreements worth 325 million pounds ($503 million) revealed on Wednesday, during President Xi Jinping's visit to the United Kingdom.

Xi, along with first lady Peng Liyuan, and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge joined Creative Collaborations: UK & China, a creative industry event held at Lancaster House.

China and the UK are both influential countries that have created a splendid culture, Xi said at the event, adding that the two countries should strengthen exchanges on creative culture.

They met a range of UK and Chinese companies working in creative collaborations, and saw some examples of British TV and film. The exhibitions and demonstrations featured Poldark, BBC Earth and Sherlock.

The latest cooperation, encompassing film, television, music and advanced engineering, will develop innovative new technologies in cutting-edge facilities in both the UK and China.

A Geely TX5 black cab is displayed at a creative industry event at Lancaster House in London, Britain Oct 21, 2015.[Photo provided to China Daily]

London Taxi Company owner Geely announced an additional 50-million-pound investment to enhance its research capabilities and launch a new fleet of zero-emission-capable London black cabs.

Aston Martin also unveiled a deal worth 50 million pounds with China Equity to develop its zero-emission RapidE sports car.

"This is a perfect example of how UK-China collaboration not only promotes investment but also makes a difference to the lives of ordinary people. It is another reason why China remains one of our most important international partners," said Sajid Javid, the British business secretary.

BBC worldwide announced that BBC Earth Films and SMG Pictures will coproduce a new documentary feature film for cinematic release in 2017.

The University of York has developed a TV training program worth 200 million pounds. Working with China Capital Investment Group, the program will recruit up to 300 students a year from China and other countries and will be delivered in facilities on the York campus.

Before the event, Xi visited Imperial College London, where Guo Yike, director of the Data Science Institute presented a data-driven analysis of the One Belt, One Road Initiative's economic and social impact, and demonstrated how smart-city researchers are monitoring and analyzing mass transit data on London's tube and Shanghai's subway networks.

"Imperial College London is the UK's No 1 research collaborator with China in scale and breadth. The college has more than 2,000 Chinese students and tens of Chinese faculty members," Guo said.

During his state visit, Xi is scheduled to visit the National Graphene Institute at the University of Manchester on Friday.