Theresa May orders security chiefs to probe China’s involvement in Hinkley Point nuclear power station deal

THERESA May has revealed for the first time that she has asked security chiefs to probe China’s involvement in the Hinkley Point nuclear power station deal - risking an even bigger diplomatic spat with Beijing.

The new PM faces a grilling from President Xi Jinping during her first face to face talks with him tomorrow night for stalling the £18bn project in Somerset.

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But aides have warned her that state hackers China could end up blackmailing the UK if they end up with control over our vital energy supply.

Quizzed on whether she wants the security officials to look at potential implications of Hinkley Point deal as well as energy experts, Mrs May replied: “I will be doing exactly as you said.

“I will look at the evidence, take the advice, consider it properly – and then come to a decision”.

Asked if she trusted the Chinese, she first ducked the question and then laughed nervously before insisting: “Of course, we have a relationship with them, we’re working with them.”

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Speaking as she arrived at the two day G20 summit in Hangzhou, Mrs May also revealed she wants to end George Osborne’s love-in with the China and broaden Britain’s trade deals with the whole of the Far East.

The PM said: “Obviously I’ll be meeting President Xi and talking to him, but I’ll be meeting other world leaders as well and wanting to talk to them about the opportunities that we can develop.

“We’ve already seen in some of the early conversations I’ve had with some of these leaders their interest in talking to us about trading arrangements – the Australians for example.”

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It also emerged yesterday that White House officials distrust the Chinese so much that they refused to allow a mobile airport steps up to Air Force One in case it attached a secret bug to the president's jet.
Instead, Mr Obama dismounted via the Boeing 747's internal steps.
Mrs May was feted by a long line of senior world leaders after arriving in Hangzhou early this morning as the newest member of the G20 club.