China, Britain seal global partnership with joint declaration

PERSONAL CHEMISTRY

While the declaration focuses more on political and economic collaboration, Xi is bringing more cultural flavor and personal bond to the ties during the visit.

Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, bid farewell to Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh at Buckingham Palace on Thursday. Xi expressed his sincere appreciation for the hospitality and thoughtful arrangement made by the British royal family, government and people, saying the visit has given him a "deep and beautiful impression."

In another event on Thursday, Xi addressed the opening ceremony of an annual meeting of Confucius Institutes in Britain, saying the essence of Chinese and British cultures has brought a fantastic "chemical reaction" into their own people's way of thinking and lifestyle through people-to-people exchanges.

By attending the event, which included a student's recitation of Xi's poem praising a hardworking county official, the president is apparently winning more hearts and minds.

Steve Bradley, a professor of economics at Britain's Lancaster University, said he was so proud of his student who recited the poem.

"It's very important that the president comes to support the Confucius Institutes and Classrooms around the UK. It helps our relations to be strengthened over the next few years," Bradley said.

Professor Lutz Marten, director of London Confucius Institute, said he agrees with Xi that true cooperation between countries involves people and hearts.

"It is through exchange visits, through learning about language, culture and literature that relationship between the two countries becomes meaningful," Marten said. "I believe only on the basis of this can we build successful political and economic collaboration."

Since his arrival in Britain, Xi has in many speeches cited the friendly exchanges between the two countries in history and modern days.

He recalled how 24 Chinese naval cadets took part in the Normandy landings during World War II and received personal thanks from then British leader Winston Churchill for their gallantry, and how China helped save a British military medic earlier this year who contracted the Ebola virus while volunteering in Sierra Leone.

On Thursday, Xi met a group of British friends including former Prime Minister Gordon Brown. The president thanked them for their painstaking efforts to make China-Britain relations remain unshakable and grow firmer, saying he hopes that they will continue to support the development of bilateral relations.

The president, accompanied by Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, also visited Inmarsat, a London-based leading provider of global satellite communication services, and voiced hopes that the company can continue to enhance cooperation with China.

Peng, the Chinese first lady, visited the Royal College of Music in another event aimed at promoting people-to-people exchanges between the two nations.

After dinner at Chequers with Cameron and his wife, Xi and Peng took a flight to Manchester for the final day of the state visit.

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