Her Excellency Madam Fu Ying was introduced to one of Anne Perchard’s Jersey cows yesterday on an official tour of the Island. Picture: JON GUEGAN (00826448)

THE Chinese Ambassador yesterday signalled a bright future for the burgeoning and potentially lucrative relationship between China and Jersey.

In her first official visit to the Island, Her Excellency Madam Fu Ying said that China needed the expertise that places like Jersey could offer.

And in stark contrast to recent attacks on Jersey as an offshore jurisdiction emanating from the UK and US, she said that China wanted to explore the many advantages that such centres could provide.

‘At the G20 summit in London, tax havens were an issue debated and that is precisely why I wanted to come here and understand whether Jersey is a tax haven or not and whether it is a good place for Chinese companies to work with,’ she said.

‘From what I have learned today in discussions which I have had, I think Jersey has a very high rating in terms of financial management. The control, monitoring and the fact that during the financial crisis the banks in Jersey did not go down like other big banks did and the fact that the Island has good surveillance over the banks shows it is a place where there is solid ground.’