EDINBURGH, Scotland, Nov. 4 (UPI) -- Scottish oil and natural gas workers are natural partners for a China as it seeks ways to satisfy growing energy demands, Scottish leader Alex Salmond said.
The country's first minister said energy partnerships would top the agenda during his trade mission to China this week.
"Scotland's enviable reputation as the European capital of oil and gas and our ongoing pioneering work in exploration and extraction gives us a strong appeal to Chinese firms looking for both domestic and international future energy supplies," he said in a statement Monday.
Salmond planned to meet with senior management officials at China National Offshore Oil Corp. and China Petroleum & Chemical Corp, known also as Sinopec.
China's expanding economy has positioned the country as a world leader in terms of energy demand.
Salmond said workers from his country have the experience from North Sea operations necessary to help China capitalize on its domestic energy supplies.
