Full coverage: President Xi Visits UK

A nubmer of British cities are expecting economic opportunities to be brought by Chinese President Xi Jinping's upcoming visit. Sir Richard Leese, Mayor of Manchester, Britain't second largest city, and also core of the country's northern region economic growth strategy, has said he hopes Chinese investors coming along with President Xi can join them in their economic aspiration.

Sir Richard Leese has just promoted the country's northern economic growth strategy to Chinese investors.

Two weeks ago, he visited China, accompanying British finance minister George Osborne, together with officials from four neighbouring cities.

This time, he expects more can be achieved during President Xi's upcoming visit.

"In northern Britain, you have a number of medium sized cities quite close...a city that's bigger than London," said Sir Richard Leese.

Infrastructure and energy construction is the core of the strategy. Leese says he hopes Chinese companies can join in such projects.

Britain is planning to construct a high-speed railway from London to West Midlands and Manchester.

Leese says Manchester welcomes Chinese companies to participate in the bidding of the project.

"We are probably looking at... we have significant investment already but i think there is always room for more," Sir Richard Leese said.

Like the offices of many British officials, there is also a model of Chinese high-speed railway carriage in Leese's office. He hopes President Xi can visit the construction site during his planned one-day stay in the city. Actually, constructions sites are seen all over the city currently, just like the scenes once in many Chinese cities. He hopes Chinese investors can join in this process and promote local development.

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