David Cameron will today hail a new "Golden Era" in UK-Chinese relations as President Xi Jinping officially begins a state visit to Britain.
The Prime Minister says £30bn worth of trade and investment deals will be completed - creating 3,900 jobs in energy, transport, retail, and property.
As the tour gets under way, Mr Cameron said: "This is going to be a very important moment for British-Chinese relations. Trade and investment between our two nations is growing and our people-to-people links are strong.
"This visit will be an opportunity to review all of these things but also talk about how the UK and China can work together on global issues such as climate change and tackling poverty. It’s a real opportunity to deepen our relationship."
President Xi, accompanied by his wife Peng Liyuan, will be welcomed for a stay by the Queen at Buckingham Palace - and visits to Chequers and Manchester are also planned.
The sheer scale of the visit is a result of years of effort from Mr Cameron and George Osborne to re-calibrate Britain's relationship with China.
The Chinese Government were particularly delighted with the Chancellor's decision to participate in the China-led Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank.
But US sources have raised concerns about Britain's new policy of "constantly accommodating" China.
The focus on investment has been criticised by some MPs ahead of the Chinese President's visit to Parliament.
MPs are expressing concern about the security implications of allowing Chinese investment in nuclear power.
Meanwhile, the steel industry has also urged David Cameron to raise the issue of Chinese cheap steel flooding European markets in the wake of three major closures of British steel facilities.
Gareth Stace, director of UK Steel, said: "We are courting the Chinese for investment but what we want to see is trade both ways. What we are seeing at the moment isn’t fair trade. The PM needs to raise that issue."
Mr Cameron said "nothing was off the table" and that steel would be raised as part of a general discussion about economic challenges.
Jeremy Corbyn has said he will raise steel and human rights issues in a private discussion with the President at Buckingham Palace ahead of a state banquet tonight.
The State Visit will conclude with a visit to Manchester intended to showcase Chinese investments in the government's "Northern Powerhouse" project.
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