Chinese president enjoyed a pint with Cameron on controversial trip – and taxpayers footed the £91,000 bill
Britain rolled out the red carpet for Xi Jinping and now it has emerged how much it all cost
TAXPAYERS were left with a £91,000 bill when Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Britain last year, it has emerged.
The visit was always controversial and now figures revealed under freedom of information legislation reveal it was also very costly.
During his trip last October Britain really rolled out the red carpet including banquets, processions and trade talks.
He visited Downing Street, had a state banquet in his honour hosted by the Queen and stayed in Buckingham Palace for two nights.
The then Prime Minister David Cameron took him for a pint – and fish and chips – at The Plough pub in Cadsden, near the PM’s country pile Chequers.
And President Xi gave a speech in front of MPs and Lords in Westminster talking about how the countries are becoming “increasingly interdependent”.
But, due to China’s human rights record and the issue of cheap Chinese steel flooding the world markets, the visit was a controversial one.
reports the British taxpayer picked up the £91,000 “entertainment” costs for that trip.
During the visit Cameron and the then Chancellor George Osborne worked on deals with China which they claimed could be worth up to £40billion for Great Britain.
But one of those deals is at risk of sparking a bitter diplomatic row between the two countries – after Theresa May stalled on giving the green light to plans to build a giant power station at Hinkley Point.
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She has postponed the decision over the £18billion project over security and cost fears.
If approved the joint French-Chinese project could see the Asian giant and power firm EDF paid more than £100bn over 35 years.
During the G20 summit in China at the start of the month President Xi said China will “have patience” while Mrs May deliberates.
The Government’s statement about the trip, released under the Freedom of Information Act, reads: "For a State Visit, Principals are invited to the UK as a guest of Her Majesty The Queen.
"The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) covers the costs of a State Visit, which includes accommodation, transport, food and incidentals (to a set limit) in the UK.
"Costs towards food and incidentals are grouped under entertainment and FCO will pay these costs for the Official Delegation, principal plus 10 ministers or senior officials, during the official programme only.
"In addition, the FCO will cover entertainment costs for one advance reconnaissance programme for the official members of that delegation.
"For the China State Visit, the final entertainment cost includes a number of official lunches and dinners, including the State Banquet and lunch with the Prime Minister.
"Within these events, there are a number of additional costs which is grouped under entertainment.
"These additional costs include staffing, equipment hire, stationery and video services.
“The FCO also paid for lunch and beverages for the advance reconnaissance programme."