President Xi Jinping is headed to London next week and will be occupied with signing various agreements that will initiate a “golden era” in Sino-British relations, according to China’s Foreign Ministry.
In a report by China Daily, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang has stated that Xi will make the visit from Oct. 19-23 upon the invitation of Queen Elizabeth II.
The last Chinese head of state to visit the United Kingdom was former president Hu Jintao in 2005.
President Xi will also meet with Prime Minister David Cameron and will be given the opportunity to address Parliament. The leaders will tackle areas such as finance, real estate, energy, health care and the automobile industry.
"The leaders will formulate a blueprint for China-U.K. relations and solidify their existing ties," said Wang.
Observers are also expecting the two countries to sign a major nuclear energy agreement, which will entail, along with other agreements, a large sum of capital.
For Cui Hongjian, an expert on European matters at the China Institute of International Studies, the visit will play a strategic role in future ties between Beijing and London.
"Through the visit, the two countries will seek to ensure that bilateral relations will not see major turbulence in the future and that they will operate on a healthy and stable channel," Cui said.
Earlier in March, Prince William, the queen's grandson and second-in-line to the throne, met with Xi in China. This was the latest high-profile visit by a member of the British royal family since the queen and her husband made a state visit to the country in 1986.