President Hu Jintao and First Lady Liu Yongqing are welcomed by Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip at Buckingham Palace in London, Nov 8, 2005. [Photo/Xinhua] |
In 2005, Prime Minister Tony Blair paid a visit to China in September, and the two countries decided to establish a strategic dialogue mechanism. In November, President Hu Jintao paid a state visit to the UK at the invitation of Queen Elizabeth II.