2015 Xi Jinping visit to the United Kingdom

On 19 October 2015 Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan, arrived at Heathrow Airport and stepped off an Air China aircraft. They were greeted on behalf of the Queen by Viscount Hood and the UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond.[3]

Xi Jinping published the speech at the Palace of Westminster

Xi met with Charles, Prince of Wales

On 20 October Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh hosted the ceremony to welcome Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan at the Horse Guards Parade. The British welcomed Xi Jinping with a 41-gun salute in Green Park and a simultaneous 62-gun salute at the Tower of London and City of London (103 guns in total).[4][5][6][7] During this visit, supporters of Xi – primarily Chinese students at British universities – waved flags and banners and carried a dragon spelling out the message "Welcome Big Buddy Xi".[8] Photographs later produced by Amnesty UK showing diplomatic cargo boxes full of flags prior to the visit showed "that the Chinese embassy has been shipping in flags, hats, T-shirts and other pro-China merchandise as diplomatic baggage in order to put on a show of strength and support for the visiting President", according to a spokesperson for Amnesty International.[9][10]

Chinese officials are believed to have wanted their security personnel to carry guns and for anti-Chinese protests to be banned completely. The Metropolitan Police refused on both accounts,[11] and activists of Falun Gong and the Free Tibet Campaign convened to demonstrate against China's human rights abuses and to call for the UK government to put human rights on the visit's agenda.[6][12][13] Two Tibetan women were arrested under Section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986 and had their homes raided under Section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986 after flying a Tibetan flag near President Xi's car, as well as computer equipment seized. Shao Jiang, a survivor of the Tiananmen Square massacre who also had her computer seized and home raided by police while in custody, said that the events reminded her of the repression she experienced in China prior to her exile.[14] The Falun Gong followers called for former chief of the Communist Party leader, Jiang Zemin, to be brought to justice for the persecution of its practitioners.[15] Before this visit, the Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn promised to raise human rights issues, but China ambassador to the UK Liu Xiaoming said this visit would focus on partnership and cooperation between the two countries.[16]

Xi and Peng had lunch with the Queen, viewed the Royal Collection's Chinese artefacts, and exchanged gifts with the Royals, giving them two albums of Peng Liyuan's music.[8] In the afternoon, Xi Jinping made a speech at the Palace of Westminster. He focused on historic bi-national ties, law and order, and China's burgeoning economy in this speech. He also cited Shakespeare's The Tempest, that "what's past is prologue".[17] Later Xi Jinping visited the Clarence House, the residence of Prince William, and had tea with the prince. In the evening, Xi and Peng arrived for a state banquet at the Buckingham Palace, hosted by the Queen. Xi also met with the Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.[8] After the banquet, Xi and Peng stayed two nights at the palace in the Belgian Suite.[18][19]

On 21 October Xi Jinping talked with British Prime Minister David Cameron at 10 Downing Street. At this talk, Xi and Cameron signed 40 billion pound business agreements. The British Government announced the UK will extend the standard Chinese visitor visas from six months to two years.[20] Also Merlin Entertainments signed an agreement with China Media Capital to establish a Legoland in Shanghai.[21] After the talk, they signed a cybersecurity pact at the press conference. They also talked about the issue of human rights.[22]

Xi and Cameron attended the UK-China business summit at Mansion House, where the focus was on investment, infrastructure and innovation.[20] Later Xi visited Imperial College London, Lancaster House and the London Office of Huawei, a leading Chinese telecommunications company.[20] In the evening Xi attended the banquet hosted by the Lord Mayor of London Alan Yarrow at the City of London.[20]

Xi continued his 4th day's itinerary on 22 October. He and his wife Peng Liyuan left the Buckingham Palace.[23] Later Xi attended the Opening Ceremony of Annual Conference of UK Confucius Institutes and Classrooms with Prince Andrew. He and Prince Andrew together unveiled the plaque of the 1000th Confucius Classroom at Hautlieu School, which was hosted by Hautlieu School of Jersey and Beijing Bayi High School.[24][25]

Xi also visited Inmarsat with the Duke of York and Liu Xiaoming.[26] Peng Liyuan visited Royal Academy of Music with Prince William and his wife Kate. She also visited the Brussels Musical Instrument Museum.[27][28][29]

Later, Xi and Cameron have held talks at Chequers. Cameron was expected to raise concerns over Hong Kong directly with Xi, but there was no mention of this in the statement.[30] Cameron also takes Xi to traditional British pub for beers and fish and chips, the English traditional dish.[31] Xi left London and arrived at Manchester at 10 pm.[32]

On 23 October Xi visited Manchester. He visited the National Graphene Institute of the University of Manchester with Professor Nancy Rothwell, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University, alongside George Osborne, Lord Jim O’Neill and the Minister for the Northern Powerhouse, James Wharton.[33] Later Xi visited Manchester City F.C., Manchester City Football Academy and the exhibition of football history.[34] He also witnessed former Manchester City defender Sun Jihai being inducted into the National Football Hall of Fame[35] and took a selfie with Sergio Agüero.[36]

Before Xi left, he visited the Airport City Manchester project. He also announced Hainan Airlines will launch non-stop flights between Beijing and Manchester.[36]