Northern Ireland

North ‘open for business', Chinese and US leaders to be told

James Brokenshire will be in the United States for two days
James Brokenshire will be in the United States for two days James Brokenshire will be in the United States for two days

NORTHERN Ireland will be promoted as "open for business" with the world's two largest economies this week.

First minister Arlene Foster is in China while secretary of state James Brokenshire visits the United States.

The trips take place amid concerns over Northern Ireland's attractiveness to foreign investors.

Uncertainty over Brexit has been compounded by the election in the US of Donald Trump, who has vowed to repatriate American firms working abroad.

The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) said Mr Brokenshire would conduct "an intensive series of meetings" in New York with business leaders and politicians.

The Tory MP said: "Hard-won political stability makes Northern Ireland an outstanding place in which to invest and do business."

Meanwhile, Mrs Foster is spending four days in China where she wants the north's relationship to move "to next level".

Travelling without Martin McGuinness, who pulled out due to "unforseen personal circumstances", she is due to meet the Chinese vice-premier Madam Liu Yangdong in Shanghai and has other engagements in Shenyang and Beijing.

“This week’s visit underlines the continued commitment of the Northern Ireland Executive to engage with China, the world’s second largest economy. We may be a small country but we have a compelling proposition in terms of commerce, tourism, education and cultural opportunities," she said.

On Sunday, Amnesty International called on Mrs Foster to use the trip to raise human rights concerns such as "torture, the vast number of executions and the authorities' brutal repression of dissent".