Starmer gives Xi Jinping match ball from Arsenal vs Manchester United game
The Chinese President is reportedly an avid Manchester United fan
Sir Keir Starmer has given Xi Jinping a football used during last weekend's Premier League fixture between Manchester United and Arsenal.
The Prime Minister is a keen Arsenal fan, while the Chinese president is reportedly an avid supporter of Manchester United, who won Sunday's match 3-2.
Sir Keir brought the ball from the game to give to Mr Xi as a gift when they met in Beijing on Thursday.
He is seeking to establish warmer ties on the trip to China, the first by a UK prime minister since 2018.
Mr Xi presented Sir Keir with a gift of a copper statue of a horse, and Chinese Premier Li Qian gave the prime minister three kinds of flutes.
The Chinese president referenced four UK football teams during their meeting - Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal and Crystal Palace.
During a state visit to the UK in 2015, then-prime minister David Cameron took Mr Xi to visit the training ground of Manchester City.
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