中英达成多项商业协议Chinese energy group gets foothold in Europe

PetroChina, China’s largest listed oil and gas producer, will gain a foothold in Europe’s energy markets after agreeing a strategic partnership with Ineos, one of the UK’s largest private businesses.

中石油(PetroChina)与英国最大的私人公司之一英力士(Ineos)达成了一项战略合作协议，从而将在欧洲能源市场获得立足点。中石油是中国最大的上市油气生产商。

The deal, which marks a significant overseas investment by PetroChina, came during a state visit to Britain by Li Keqiang, the Chinese vice-premier.

这项协议标志着中石油的一笔重大海外投资，是在中国副总理李克强对英国进行国事访问期间签署的。

The Chinese company will set up a joint venture with Ineos, the world’s fourth-largest chemicals producer, to refine and trade oil at Scotland’s Grangemouth and France’s Lavera refineries. The deal will give PetroChina access to Europe’s refining markets while giving Ineos, which has been trying to reduce its debt, a capital injection. Under a separate agreement, the two companies will also co-operate to share key refining and petrochemical technology.

中石油将与全球第四大化学品生产商英力士成立一家合资企业，在苏格兰的格兰杰莫斯和法国的拉瓦莱炼油厂提炼和交易石油。中石油将借此交易进入欧洲的炼油市场，而一直在努力削减债务的英力士则可获得资金注入。根据双方达成的另一项协议，两家公司还将合作共享关键的炼油和石化技术。

Mr Li also on Monday signed some £2.6bn of commercial deals with other British companies, including oil group BP, on the latest stage of a European Union tour that has significantly boosted Chinese trade relations with EU nations.

李克强周一还与包括英国石油(BP)在内的其它一些英国公司签署了大约26亿英镑的商业协议。英国是李克强欧盟访问之旅的最新一站，此次访问大大推动了中国和欧盟国家的贸易关系。

In Spain last week Mr Li said China would continue to “play an active role” in international financial markets, amid unconfirmed reports that Beijing planned to buy €6bn of Spanish government bonds. Mr Li then travelled to Germany where he signed $11.3bn worth of trade contracts.

上周在西班牙访问期间，李克强表示，中国将继续在国际金融市场“发挥积极作用”。据未经证实的报道称，中国计划购买60亿欧元西班牙政府债券。李克强随后前往德国，并在那里签署了价值113亿美元的贸易合同。

In London, Mr Li on Monday held talks with David Cameron, the prime minister, Nick Clegg, the deputy prime minister, and George Osborne, the finance minister. The UK’s coalition government is keen to build a close political relationship with the man widely seen as one of the most powerful figures in the Chinese leadership and who is expected to replace Wen Jiabao as China’s prime minister.

在伦敦，李克强周一与英国首相戴维•卡梅伦(David Cameron)、副首相尼克•克雷格(Nick Clegg)及财政大臣乔治•奥斯本(George Osborne)举行了会谈。英国联合政府热切希望与李克强建立密切的政治关系。李克强被视为中国最有实力的领导人之一，有望接替温家宝担任中国国务院总理。

PetroChina said the deal reflected the company’s “strategy of creating a leading international integrated oil and gas business” and marked a significant step in its plans for “building a broader business platform in Europe”.

中石油表示，此次交易反映了该公司“创建领先的国际一体化油气业务的战略”，标志着公司“在欧洲建立更广阔贸易平台”的计划迈出了重要一步。