AFP, Beijing :
Britain’s Prince William met China’s Communist President Xi Jinping on Monday before strolling through the Forbidden City, the former home of the country’s deposed imperial dynasties.
Xi warmly welcomed the second-in-line to the British throne, making the highest-profile visit to China by a member of the royal family since Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip in 1986.
William was met by the Chinese leader on the first full day of a trip which comes as London and Beijing have traded diplomatic barbs over pro-democracy demonstrations in Hong Kong, a former British colony.
But the differences appeared to be put aside as Xi congratulated the 32-year-old prince on the expected birth of his second child.
“The British royal family has great influence not just in Britain but across the world,” Xi said.
Britain’s Prince William met China’s Communist President Xi Jinping on Monday before strolling through the Forbidden City, the former home of the country’s deposed imperial dynasties.
Xi warmly welcomed the second-in-line to the British throne, making the highest-profile visit to China by a member of the royal family since Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip in 1986.
William was met by the Chinese leader on the first full day of a trip which comes as London and Beijing have traded diplomatic barbs over pro-democracy demonstrations in Hong Kong, a former British colony.
But the differences appeared to be put aside as Xi congratulated the 32-year-old prince on the expected birth of his second child.
“The British royal family has great influence not just in Britain but across the world,” Xi said.
