Chinese leader Xi Jinping sent a message of condolence on Friday to King Charles III of the United Kingdom following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
“On behalf of the Chinese government, the Chinese people and himself, Xi expressed deep condolences over the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, and extended sincere sympathies to the royal family, government and people of the UK,” Chinese state media CCTV reported.
According to state broadcaster CCTV, in his message Xi emphasized the importance of “the development of China-UK relations.”
In his message, Xi said, as the UK’s longest-reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth won praise and admiration widely. She was the first British monarch to visit China and her death was a huge loss for the people of UK, he said, according to CCTV.
Some context: In 1986 Queen Elizabeth II visited China with stops in Beijing, Shanghai, Xi’an, Kunming and Guangzhou. She became the first, and so far only British monarch to set foot in mainland China.
She toured various Chinese landmarks, including the Great Wall, the Forbidden City and the Terracotta Warriors.
Her visit came some two years after the two governments signed a joint declaration, paving the way for former British colony Hong Kong’s return to China.
Among the Chinese leaders the Queen met in Beijing was then-paramount leader Deng Xiaoping.
