President Xi Jinping has reportedly requested for fish and chips to lighten up his four-day state visit. (Photo : DFIC.cn)
Looks like somebody is craving some good old British classics. According to a report by China Daily, President Xi Jinping has reportedly requested for fish and chips to lighten up his four-day state visit.
Xi, who arrived in Monday, Oct. 19, with First Lady Peng Liyuan, is greeted with a packed schedule as soon as the pair set foot on British soil. Among their engagements is a state banquet at the Buckingham Palace. The Chinese president will also meet with Prime Minister David Cameron and the members of the British Parliament.
According to Sunday Times, Xi is expected to dine at a traditional English pub on Oct. 22 and expressed his wish to "try the dish" there.
The trip to the pub, which is situated in the English countryside of Buckinghamshire, is part of Xi's excursion to Chequers, located 50 kilometers northwest of London. Chequers is the official country retreat for current prime ministers, and has regularly hosted visiting world leaders.
The Sunday Times, through an unknown source, managed to get a glimpse of the conversation over the trip: "The Chinese are desperate to order fish and chips. They've asked about it repeatedly."
Xi's appetite for the British classic was discussed by users on popular social networking site WeChat. Some poked fun at the unusual request, while others thought it was a sincere gesture.
"That's down-to-earth approach," said one of the comments. "It's all part of the president's view of himself as a man of the people."
It's not the first time Xi diverted from his itinerary. In 2013, the president caused a stir when he popped by a local dumpling restaurant in Beijing to order a $3.50 seat meal. After Xi's visit, tourists crowded the restaurant.
Perhaps the English pub can enjoy the same treatment after the president has had his fish and chips.
