London, October 19, 1999

On the evening of October 19, 1999, Elizabeth II held a grand banquet at Buckingham Palace to warmly welcome Chinese President Jiang Zemin and his wife Wang Yeping, who were on a state visit to the UK.

In her speech, Elizabeth II welcomed Jiang Zemin as the first Chinese President to visit Britain, and expressed her satisfaction that China and Britain had exchanged ambassadors in 1972. Especially after the return of Hong Kong to China in 1997, Sino-British relations have become increasingly close.

She also said both China and Britain have a long and abundant history, and solid traditions. They each make huge contributions to the world in their own ways. She believed that in the future, both countries will continue to work together for world peace and prosperity.