Chinese President Xi Jinping is to pay his first state visit to Britain from Oct. 19 to 23. Xi's UK trip has already attracted global attention.

The New York Times (NYT) said that Britain will put commerce with China first in President Xi's state visit.[Photo/Xinhua]

Preparing for Xi's visit, the British chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne was hoping to secure contracts for British construction companies in an ambitious project under which Xinjiang is to become a gateway for roads, rails and pipelines linking China to Europe through Central Asia.

"Let's stick together to make Britain China's best partner in the West," Mr. Osborne said in effusive language that American officials would be unlikely to use with China.

                                                                                                                The New York Times, Oct 17, 2015