IT is deplorable that our First Minister will not attend the Buckingham Palace Banquet arranged for the official visit of the Chinese President (“Sturgeon to miss banquet in honour of President Xi”, The Herald, October 20).

Apart from it being plain discourteous for a senior UK politician heading a separate Parliament to do so, it has to be a reminder of the long memories of British offhand involvement in China most certainly involving Scots.

Then there is trade – Scotland's will be jeopardised if insult is taken. It's already hard enough to see how our books can ever be balanced with the oil revenues perceived to be way down for good. There was a clear indication last year that Scottish and Scotch-branded food and drink sales would grow, particularly whisky. We benefit from all the associated activities linked to production and distribution for export, and this stands to be jeopardised. China is on record as dismissing Britain as a still-arrogant spent force in decline, Ms Sturgeon's decision will reinforce this attitude.

Joe Darby,

Glenburn, St Martins Mill, Cullicudden, Dingwall.

I NOTE with interest that Scotland's First Minister was not deemed important enough to be invited to the state banquet in honour of Chinese President Xi Jinping. So much for the equality of nations in our United Kingdom.

Roddy Mac Donald,

1 Glenmount Place, Ayr.

WE are assured that, while signing trade deals worth £30 billion to the U , David Cameron will be raising the appalling human rights record of China.

Will that be before or after Premier Xi Jinping has signed on the dotted line?

James Mills

29 Armour Square,

Johnstone.

IS it just me or can others not see the breath-taking hypocrisy of the current UK government in its attitude to employment, human rights and the environment?

Industry in the UK has tight environmental controls imposed upon it through UK and EU legislation. This, combined with the employment rights of those working in UK industries, reduces their competitiveness compared to that of China, where environmental concerns and human rights play third and fourth fiddle to output and profit. In light of the current scandal unfolding in Lanarkshire and Scunthorpe surely it is time for the UK Government to impose boycotts on imports of steel and other commodities from countries that do not meet the exacting environmental and ethical standards legislated for by the UK and the EU.

We all share the same planet, so failing to demand the same environmental and ethical standards from competing industries in other countries not only puts UK jobs at risk but makes a laughing stock of any effort to maintain environmental standards in this country.

Alasdair MacKenzie,

16 Chapel Road, Newtonhill, Aberdeenshire.