Nanjing Automobile has said that it remains loyal to the plan of restarting MG Rover car production in the UK, although its plans are yet to be finalised.

Vice president Wang Too Jing said up to 1,200 jobs could be created at Rover's Longbridge plant, according to the BBC.

The announcement follows media speculation that the company was preparing to move out of the West Midlands and take production abroad.

MG Rover was sold to Nanjing in July after a fierce bidding war between rival Chinese carmaker Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation.

PricewaterhouseCoopers, administrators for MG Rover at the time of its collapse, said that it was Nanjing’s intention to move some car and engine production to China but said it would “retain some car production” in the UK.