Bond that has stood the test of time

Over 43 years of full diplomatic relations, China and Britain have regularly played host to each other's leaders and dignitaries

January 1950: Britain officially recognized the People's Republic of China.

March 1972: China and Britain signed the Joint Communique on the Agreement on an Exchange of Ambassadors.

September 1982: Margaret Thatcher became the first serving prime minister to visit China after relations were re-established and met Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping.

December 1984: Thatcher made her second visit, during which the British and Chinese governments signed the Joint Declaration on the Question of Hong Kong.

June 1985: Hu Yaobang, general secretary of the Communist Party of China's Central Committee, made a historic visit to Britain.

October 1986: Queen Elizabeth II became the first British monarch to make a state visit to China, meeting President Li Xiannian.

September 1991: Prime Minister John Major visited China.

June 30, 1997: The Chinese and British governments held a ceremony to return sovereignty of Hong Kong to China. During the ceremony, Chinese President Jiang Zemin met the Prince of Wales and Prime Minister Tony Blair.

1998: Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji (center) and Tony Blair exchanged successful visits and the two countries issued a joint statement announcing plans to establish a comprehensive partnership.

October 1999: President Jiang Zemin became the first Chinese president to make a state visit to Britain and met the queen.

May 2004: Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao paid an official visit to Britain and the two governments announced a comprehensive strategic partnership. A joint statement said the countries had agreed to an annual meeting between the premier and prime minister and to identify priority areas for cooperation.

November 2005: President Hu Jintao paid a state visit to Britain and met Prime Minister Tony Blair.

2008: Prime Minister Gordon Brown paid his first official visit to China in January and in August returned for the closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games.

January 2009: Premier Wen Jiabao paid an official visit to Britain and the two governments issued a joint statement on strengthening cooperation and dealing with the global financial crisis.

June 2011: Wen attended the annual China-UK Prime Ministers' Meeting in London with Prime Minister David Cameron. The two sides announced they would set up a high-level cultural exchange mechanism.

December 2013: Cameron attended the China-UK Prime Ministers' Meeting in Beijing with Premier Li Keqiang.

June 2014: Premier Li paid an official visit to Britain and attended the China-UK Prime Ministers' Meeting with Cameron. He also met the queen.

March 2015: The Duke of Cambridge visited China and met President Xi Jinping in Beijing.

(China Daily European Weekly 10/16/2015 page24)