Chinese president leaves for visit to Britain

hinese President Xi Jinping left Beijing Monday afternoon for a state visit to Britain at the invitation of Queen Elizabeth II. The visit, scheduled from October 19 to 23, is made by a Chinese president in ten years. According to China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Queen will host a welcome ceremony for Xi and invite him for both an informal lunch and a formal dinner. Xi will hold talks with Prime Minister David Cameron and address a banquet hosted by the Lord Mayor of the City of London. In Manchester, the Chinese president will attend a banquet and visit research projects and local businesses. Xi's entourage includes his wife Peng Liyuan; Wang Huning, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Policy Research Office of the CPC Central Committee; Li Zhanshu, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee; and State Councilor Yang Jiechi.