Britain is to stop giving aid to China as part of a government plan to target financial help to the world's poorest nations, the development secretary, Andrew Mitchell, said today.Announcing a review into the 90 countries that currently share the £2.9bn a year dispensed by the UK in bilateral aid, Mitchell said the money should be spent where it did most good."For some countries, aid is a vital safety net that saves lives every day. UK money should be spent helping the poorest people in the poorest countries, with every penny making a real difference by giving families the chance of a better future," the development secretary said.
"It is not justifiable to continue to give aid money to China . Other country programmes which are less effective will be closed or reduced and the savings will be redirected towards those countries where they can make the most difference."
China, the world's third biggest and fastest growing economy, received just over £40m a year from the UK in 2008-09.
Mitchell said he wanted redirected money to be spent on poverty reduction measures including programmes to improve maternal health, women's right to family planning and protection against deadly diseases such as malaria.