President Xi Urges Britain to Remain Active in European Union as Historic

The trio were at City’s training ground Friday as part of the Chinese president’s state visit to the UK. Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, right, and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh bid farewell to President of the People’s Republic of China, Xi Jinping, left, and his wife, Madame Peng Liyuan from Buckingham Palace on Thursday…

After three days of banquets, processions and trade talks, Xi posed for a “selfie” picture with Sergio Aguero, City’s Argentinian star striker, and British Prime Minister David Cameron at the football club.

Mainland Chinese leader Xi Jinping signed the nuclear agreement on the second day of a four-day visit that has seen the two countries agree more than £30 billion (US$46 billion) in business deals. Chinese President Xi Jinping said yesterday in Manchester that he hoped Britain and China would strengthen cooperation and exchanges in the area of sports, including football, according to a statement by the country’s foreign ministry.

There have also been protests by human rights activists and pro-Tibet groups, and opposition politicians have urged Cameron to press Xi on China’s rights record.

He will meet leading scientists while touring Manchester university’s National Graphene Institute, as well as airport bosses while unveiling a new flight to China.

“I want both and we are delivering both and it’s when you have that strong relationship, with a strong partnership we have, you are able to discuss all of these issues”, Cameron said.

David Cameron was quick to confirm that he was not taking sides in bringing the president to City’s ground, but the Aston Villa fan said he supported West Ham when pressed on the matter during the election, so perhaps that should be taken with a pinch of salt.

The last leg of the Chinese premier’s visit to the United Kingdom comes after Cameron took Jinping to a Buckinghamshire pub.

For Britain, China is becoming a major strategic partner, he said.

Britain is seeking Chinese investment in Manchester, which it hopes will become an economic and technological “northern powerhouse” to offset London’s dominance.

Pundits say maintaining China’s relationship with the European Union is important to President Xi because it provides access to a large market and extends the country’s sphere of influence as a rising world power.

The British government is keen to promote its “Northern Powerhouse” project, in which councils in the post-industrial north of England are being given more powers in an attempt to stimulate their economies.