Britain’s Theresa May grovels to China after Hinkley Point debacle

British Prime Minister Theresa May blundered badly in putting the Hinkley Point nuclear reactor project on hold, underestimating the reaction from China, has now been made obvious by the handwritten letter she has sent to the leadership in Beijing assuring China of Britain’s continued commitment to maintaining good relations.

That the decision to put the Hinkley Point project on hold was due to US pressure and US concern about China’s role in the project has been all but confirmed by the press campaign the staunchly neocon and Atlanticist London Times has been running against the Chinese role in the project.  This has even included allegations that the Chinese partner in the project has a history of espionage.

Theresa May’s decision to freeze Hinkley Point looked odd given the parallel moves she is making to improve Britain’s relations with China’s main ally Russia. 

It now looks like the action of a new and inexperienced Prime Minister pushed into a decision the implications of which she did not fully understand.  Whether the Chinese will be impressed by her letter is another matter.