BEIJING: Britain’s Prince William met China’s Communist President Xi Jinping yesterday before strolling through the Forbidden City, the former home of the country’s deposed imperial dynasties.
Xi warmly welcomed the second-in-line to the British throne, making the highest-profile visit to China by a member of the royal family since Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip in 1986.
William was met by the Chinese leader on the first full day of a trip, which comes as London and Beijing have traded diplomatic barbs over pro-democracy demonstrations in Hong Kong, a former British colony.
But the differences appeared to be put aside as Xi congratulated the 32-year-old prince on the much anticipated birth of his second child — his wife Kate is not accompanying him on the trip.
“The British royal family has great influence not just in Britain but across the world,” said Xi, who is due to visit Britain himself later this year.
William said he was looking forward to the remainder of his trip, which will see him go to the commercial hub of Shanghai before heading to an elephant sanctuary in the south-western province of Yunnan.
“It’s been a long interest of mine for many years to come and visit China,” he told Xi at
the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
William’s visit has been seen as an attempt by Britain to improve top-level diplomatic relations with Beijing.
London is anxious to improve its trade ties with the economic powerhouse.
William’s father, Charles, has never visited mainland China, though he attended the handover of Hong Kong. — AFP