First Britain-China infrastructure conference held in London

 LONDON, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Britain-China infrastructure¹ cooperation CEO round-table conference, the first of such ever held between the two countries, opened in London on Monday, with both Chinese and British entrepreneurs hoping to strength cooperation and exploring potentials in the field.

Chinese vice² minister of commerce Zhong Shan and British minister without portfolio³ Kenneth Clarke spoke⁴ highly of the conference, describing it as a good platform and mechanism⁵ for the companies of the two countries to strengthen mutual⁶ understanding and cooperation.

The Chinese vice minister suggested the two countries to bring each other's advantage into play, and promote a sustainable and rapid development of the bilateral⁷ economic and trade cooperation, especially in the field of infrastructure facilities.

"We welcome British companies to take part in China's economic restructuring and industry upgrading, and invest in central and western China as well as old industrial base in the northeast," Zhong said.

At the same time, he hoped the British side to introduce the investment environment and infrastructure investment projects to Chinese firms, and create conditions for Chinese firms to invest in Britain.

Chinese firms have made increasing investment in Britain this year, as encouraged by the government's "going global" strategy.

In middle September this year, Chinese communications giant Huawei Technologies announced that it would invest 2.0 billion U.S. dollars in Britain and committed to increasing its workforce⁸ from the present 800 people to over 1,500 by 2017.

China Investment Corporation (CIC), China's sovereign wealth fund, said in November that its subsidiary has purchased a 10-percent stake in Heathrow Airport Holdings, which marks CIC's second investment in British infrastructure, as the company also holds an 8.68-percent stake in Thames Water, the largest water supply and waste water treatment company in Britain.

At the infrastructure CEO round-table meeting focusing on transport, the British side briefed the Chinese companies on rail structure and opportunities in the area.

The conference is a follow-up event of the Fourth China-UK Economic and Financial Dialogue held in September 2011, when the two countries inked memorandums of understanding on cooperation in the fields of infrastructure and energy.

1 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

2 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

3 portfolio   

n.公事包；文件夹；大臣及部长职位

参考例句：

• He remembered her because she was carrying a large portfolio.他因为她带着一个大公文包而记住了她。
• He resigned his portfolio.他辞去了大臣职务。

4 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

5 mechanism   

n.机械装置；机构，结构

参考例句：

• The bones and muscles are parts of the mechanism of the body.骨骼和肌肉是人体的组成部件。
• The mechanism of the machine is very complicated.这台机器的结构是非常复杂的。

6 mutual   

adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的

参考例句：

• We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。
• Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。

7 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。

8 workforce   

n.劳动大军，劳动力

参考例句：

• A large part of the workforce is employed in agriculture.劳动人口中一大部分受雇于农业。
• A quarter of the local workforce is unemployed.本地劳动力中有四分之一失业。