Xi tours Manchester on last
day of visit [Have
The Brits Finally
Lost It ?]
CCTV.com
10-24-2015
Chinese President Xi Jinping has arrived in Beijing after a state visit to the United Kingdom. He departed Friday from Manchester, the last stop of his five-day visit. During his stay in the northern city, Xi visited the University of Manchester's National Graphene Institute and the Manchester City's football academy.
Chinese President Xi Jiping (3rd L, back) addresses a welcome lunch held by the government of Manchester, in Manchester, Britain, Oct. 23, 2015. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)Richard Bestic
The British finance minister led China's president on a tour of what he called the “northern powerhouse project.”
It is the UK government's effort to regenerate vast swathes of Britain's post-industrial north, in part with Chinese investment.
Xi said George Osborne is the power being put into the northern powerhouse:
Large amounts of Chinese cash are already invested in the region. Work is underway on a new billion-dollar office hub with planned tax breaks for Chinese businesses. And the president welcomed the announcement of new direct flight from Beijing to Manchester.
"I am glad to learn that Hainan Airlines of China is about to open direct flights between Beijing and Manchester. This will be another bridge of cooperation between the two cities and more broadly between our two countries. I wish local exchanges and cooperation between China and the UK more fruitful results and I wish China-UK relations a more promising future," Xi said.
For the president, a lifelong football fan the day also offered a chance to induct former Manchester City player, Sun Jihai into the football hall of fame. Sun was the first Chinese player to score in the English Premier League.
Then it was off again to talk business over lunch. Manchester's vibrant Chinese community waved their own special welcome.
As he departed, Xi had time to reflect on a remarkable stay visit. We see Sino-UK relation at their warmest in history and bilateral trade a new high.
It is the UK government's effort to regenerate vast swathes of Britain's post-industrial north, in part with Chinese investment.
Xi said George Osborne is the power being put into the northern powerhouse:
Large amounts of Chinese cash are already invested in the region. Work is underway on a new billion-dollar office hub with planned tax breaks for Chinese businesses. And the president welcomed the announcement of new direct flight from Beijing to Manchester.
"I am glad to learn that Hainan Airlines of China is about to open direct flights between Beijing and Manchester. This will be another bridge of cooperation between the two cities and more broadly between our two countries. I wish local exchanges and cooperation between China and the UK more fruitful results and I wish China-UK relations a more promising future," Xi said.
For the president, a lifelong football fan the day also offered a chance to induct former Manchester City player, Sun Jihai into the football hall of fame. Sun was the first Chinese player to score in the English Premier League.
Then it was off again to talk business over lunch. Manchester's vibrant Chinese community waved their own special welcome.
As he departed, Xi had time to reflect on a remarkable stay visit. We see Sino-UK relation at their warmest in history and bilateral trade a new high.
Chinese President Xi Jinping addresses dignitaries during a visit to the airport city in Manchester, Britain, Oct. 23, 2015. (Xinhua/Zhang Duo)
Chinese President Xi Jinping (2nd L, front), accompanied by British Prime Minister David Cameron (2nd R, front), visits an exhibition at the airport city in Manchester, Britain, Oct. 23, 2015. (Xinhua/Zhang Duo)
Chinese President Xi Jinping (2nd L), accompanied by British Prime Minister David Cameron (2nd R), visits the City Football Academy in Manchester, Britain, Oct. 23, 2015. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)
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