British Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott said on Thursday that Britain will expand aviation cooperation with China.

He made the remarks when attending the British airports group workshop in Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province.

He said the world aviation industry had overcome the difficulties caused by the September 11 terrorist attacks and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

He said the Chinese aviation industry had developed rapidly, and British enterprises had successfully bid to construct the airports in Beijing and Chongqing.

China had been developing Kunming as a regional aviation hub, and Britain would like to help build Kunming international airport, he said.

Meanwhile, he added, the British government encouraged enterprises to invest in Kunming and help develop the western region of China.

Yunnan Governor Xu Rongkai met with Prescott the same day, and said he hoped Yunnan would cooperate with Britain on environmental protection, investment and agriculture.

(Xinhua News Agency November 14, 2003)