Chinese VIP drops in on Macclesfield’s Silk Museum

The Chinese Deputy Consul Fan Yingjie dropped in at Macclesfield’s Silk Museum to learn about the town’s historic links with his country’s silk trade and the Silk Road trade route from China to Europe.

Chinese Deputy Consul Fan Yingjie with Cllr Ainslie Arnold

Macclesfield has long considered itself the unofficial end of the Silk Road because of the huge number of silk mills and weaving sheds that once dominated the town, where the word ‘silk’ continues to thread through its identity.

The visit, facilitated by the Manchester China Forum, follows a visit by a film crew from China TV in May.  The station, which broadcasts to more than one billion viewers, carried a series of short items about Macclesfield and its silk heritage.

Cheshire East Council and Macclesfield Town Council are exploring ways to forge stronger cultural links with China, whose President Xi wants to re-establish the ‘silk road’ as a new 21st century trade route.

Councillor Arnold, cabinet member for regeneration, said: “This all happened on a very impromptu basis, at short notice, and we were extremely pleased to show Mr Yingjie around the Silk Museum, heritage centre and Paradise Mill, where the old Jacquard looms are on display.

“We hope this will be the beginning of a new chapter for Macclesfield and its links with China. We hope it may lead to some investment in Chinese tourism in Macclesfield and stronger cultural links with the country.

“Macclesfield Town Council are very much in the driving seat on this one and we at Cheshire East are giving what support we can to help with this.”