Time was that British colonialists would tempt the natives with shiny things they had never seen before or had never dreamt of being able to obtain. In return, the empire would receive great tranches of territory rich in minerals and raw materials.

Nobody would like to see a return to such unequal "trade", but you have to wonder about the eclectic selection of baubles Gordon Brown is expecting his Chinese and Indian hosts to import as a result of his trip to Asia: British luxury brands (often, like Bentley cars or Glenlivet malt whisky, part of foreign companies), financial services and the English language.