With the Chinese stock markets going through turbulent times perhaps a better long-term investment would be a rare Scottish whisky, alternatively sorrows could be drowned with a nice glass of the precious liquid.

It has been an action packed first 24 hours in China for Scotland’s First Minister, which is the start of a trip to China and Hong Kong to promote Scotland in the world’s second largest economy.

She kicked off her visit to Beijing by opening a new Whisky Experience Centre at the Single Malt Club and launching a new fund to allow whisky connoisseurs to invest in some of Scotland’s rarest whiskies.

The First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said, “The Single Malt Club China has worked hard to promote Scotch whisky for a decade and now has nearly 5,000 members throughout China. It also works with 31 of our distilleries, so the support for our industry is clear, and this fund will allow Chinese whisky connoisseurs to invest in some of Scotland’s finest and rarest drams.”

During the visit the First Minister also announced that Scotland is to benefit from a further 21 Confucius Classrooms to teach primary pupils Mandarin and boost their language skills. “We want our young people to be better prepared for life and work in a multi-cultural, global marketplace and Mandarin is one of the world’s most widely spoken languages.“Evidence shows that early language learning improves literacy and that young children learn languages more easily, extending the Confucius Classroom learning programme to primary schools will improve language learning opportunities to more Scottish pupils, in addition to the 20,000 who already benefit.”

A large and hugely important part of the First Minister’s trip is promoting Scotland as a favourable place to be based and do business.  The First Minister spoke to an audience of over 120 Chinese business people where she announced new Sino-Scottish partnerships.

The First Minister said: “Scotland is well placed to benefit from China’s strategic focus on innovation, with our longstanding expertise in sectors which have been identified as essential for China’s future prosperity. “Our world class universities and research base and an ever-growing base of innovative Scottish companies across energy, life sciences, technology, financial services and entertainment, fits well with China’s long-term investment plans for these sectors.”