Prince William presented China’s president with an invitation from the queen for him to visit Britain this year, as the prince began the first official trip to China by a senior British royal in a generation.
Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) yesterday told the prince that he thanked Queen Elizabeth II for the invitation.
“I look forward to meeting her majesty and other British leaders during the visit and to jointly plan out the future of Sino-British relations,” Xi said during the meeting in the Great Hall of the People. “The British royal family has great influence, not just in Britain, but across the world.”
Photo: AFP
The prince’s three-day trip to Beijing, Shanghai and southwest China near the border with Myanmar is testing his diplomatic mettle as the second in line to the throne.
He is not visiting Hong Kong, which was the scene last year of weeks long pro-democracy protests, during which Beijing prevented a British parliamentary committee from traveling to the former British colony to investigate political reform there, saying it did not want the UK interfering in its internal affairs.
William told Xi and the rest of the Chinese delegation, including Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi (楊潔篪) and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (王毅), that he was looking forward to strengthening relations between the countries.
“I’m particularly interested in the young people and seeing how the next generation develops and is aware of the world as it is,” he said.
Earlier in the day, William told a boy he might be able to make his dream of singing opera in a palace come true as he met with young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
He made the comment as he toured a traditional Beijing courtyard residence dating from the 1890s that has been restored and turned into a museum with help from charities related to his father, Prince Charles — the Prince of Wales’ China Foundation and The Prince’s Foundation for Building Communities.
He spent most of his time chatting with representatives of charities helping children with hearing and visual impairments, whose parents are migrant workers or in prison, and some of the young people they work with.
Zhao Chen, 14, who is visually impaired and undergone six operations to his eyes, and wants to be a tenor, told the prince: “My dream is to go to your palace to sing opera.”
The prince replied: “Well, you have met the right man. We might be able to arrange something.”
William also had a stroll in the Forbidden City and had a meeting with Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao (李源潮), after which culture officials from both countries signed an agreement marking the start of a year of cultural exchange between Britain and China.
The prince was scheduled to open an exhibition in Shanghai yesterday evening that showcases British innovation in entertainment, design, healthcare and fashion and meet with Chinese business leaders.
His final stop in China is Xishuangbanna in Yunnan Province, where he will visit an elephant sanctuary and a nature reserve tomorrow.
William arrived in Beijing late on Sunday after a four-day stay in Japan.
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