British Prime Minister David Cameron has rejected requests by the Chinese for him to remove his "offensive" poppy - as it reminds the Chinese of the Opium Wars, as poppies are used to make the drug.
Britain and China fought two wars against each other - the first from 1839 to 1842 and the second from 1856 to 1860 - over opium, and both ended in defeats for the Chinese.
The first war broke out because British merchants smuggled opium into China from British India in defiance of Chinese prohibition laws). Further disputes over the treatment of British merchants in Chinese ports resulted in the Second Opium War. It ended when the British razed the Emperor's Palace in Peking (now Beijing) to the ground.
China was defeated in both wars, leaving its government having to tolerate the opium trade. Britain gained, amongst other things, Hong Kong, which it had until 1997.
But, unlike in Britain, the wars are very much remembered in China and this year marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the second war.
But, despite requests by the Chinese, Mr Cameron, who is attending a ceremony in South Korea tomorrow to mark November 11, refused to remove his poppy, as did Chancellor George Osborne, Business Secretary Vince Cable, Energy Secretary Chris Huhne and Education Secretary Michael Gove, who are all accompanying the Prime Minister in China.
Meanwhile, Mr Cameron - who is in China to encourage the world's second largest economy to buy British - took time out from official business during his visit to Beijing today to take a trip to the Great Wall of China.
The Prime Minister climbed a section of the wall at Juyong Pass, north of Beijing.
Signing his name in the visitors' book, the PM said the visit was a 'memorable' experience he would never forget.
The Prime Minister later visited the nearby Machikou Central Primary School, where he presented teachers and pupils with a 'seed rod' from the UK Pavilion at this year's Shanghai World Expo.
The pavilion - nicknamed the Dandelion - featured 60,000 rods containing seeds from the Millennium Seed Bank. It won the gold medal and received 8 million visitors, making it the most popular pavilion.
Britain was the world's mightiest economic power at the time of the Opium Wars, but soon it will be China overtaking the US.
David Cameron rejects Chinese request to remove 'offensive' poppies during visit
By James Chapman
10th November 2010
Daily Mail
The British defeated the Chinese in both opium wars - and the Chinese haven't forgotten. (Above) A British warship (on the right of the picture) can be seen as a Chinese ship is destroyed
David Cameron and four Cabinet ministers wore poppies in defiance of Chinese demands to remove them yesterday.
The Prime Minister was told that allowing his delegation to sport the symbol would cause grave offence because it would remind Chinese ministers and officials of the Opium Wars.
Also known as the Anglo-Chinese Wars, they were the climax of trade disputes between China and the British Empire over Chinese attempts to restrict British opium trafficking.
Wall visit: David Cameron is pictured with Chinese school children at the Great Wall north of Beijing, China
Enlarge
Poppy wearers: David Cameron drinks a toast with Education Secretary Michael Gove (left), Business Secretary Vince Cable (2nd left) and Chancellor George Osborne at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing
China was defeated in both the First Opium War, from 1839 to 1842 and the Second Opium War from 1856 to 1860.
This year marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the second war, which ended when British and French armies arrived in Peking and razed the Emperor's Palace to the ground.
The British victories in both conflicts apparently still weigh heavy on Chinese minds, since the prospect of British ministers and officials wearing poppies while attending this week's talks in Beijing prompted horror.
The poppy is the source of opium and Chinese officials were apparently unfamiliar with its importance in Britain in commemorating our war dead.
Mr Cameron, who is attending a ceremony in South Korea tomorrow to mark November 11, refused to remove his poppy, as did Chancellor George Osborne, Business Secretary Vince Cable, Energy Secretary Chris Huhne and Education Secretary Michael Gove, who are all accompanying the Prime Minister in China.
Enlarge
Impressed: The Prime Minister climbed a section of the wall at Juyong Pass, north of Beijing
Enlarge
Mr Cameron is shown the Great Wall of China by students from Beijing on the second of a two day trip to China
The Prime Minister waves to cameramen as he walks with the students earlier today
'When asked if it was a joke, the Chinese were stern-faced and said "No, we'd like you to remove them",' said one startled British aide.
'Clearly that was not an option so we tried to explain the importance of the poppy in Britain and informed them we would be wearing them all the same.'
Enlarge
Mr Cameron later met a group of young Chinese environmental activists from the Roots and Shoots movement which is launching a climate change initiative
Meanwhile, Mr Cameron took time out from official business during his visit to Beijing today to take a trip to the Great Wall of China.
The Prime Minister climbed a section of the wall at Juyong Pass, north of Beijing.
Signing his name in the visitors' book, the PM said the visit was a 'memorable' experience he would never forget.
Mr Cameron met a group of young Chinese environmental activists from the Roots and Shoots movement which is launching a climate change initiative inspired by the UK's 10:10 campaign to cut carbon emissions by 10% a year from 2010.
Roots and Shoots, which was started in the UK by United Nations peace ambassador Jane Goodall, aims to encourage individuals to play their part in protecting the environment.
The young activists told Mr Cameron about their plans for a 10:11 initiative in China to make carbon cuts in 2011, which they were launching today - the 10th day of the 11th month.
The Prime Minister later visited the nearby Machikou Central Primary School, where he presented teachers and pupils with a 'seed rod' from the UK Pavilion at this year's Shanghai World Expo.
The pavilion - nicknamed the Dandelion - featured 60,000 rods containing seeds from the Millennium Seed Bank.
Following the conclusion of the Expo - at which the UK Pavilion won a gold medal and was visited by 8 million people - the British Council are sending 1,000 rods to schools across China for use as a tool in teaching biodiversity.
At the Machikou school, Mr Cameron joined the children for an environmental studies lesson, helping them sort flashcards in Chinese and English characters.
The British pavilion at this year's Shanghai World Expo was the most popular and received the gold medal.
The school uses material from the British Council Climate Generation programme, which in the last three years has worked with nearly 1,000 schools across China, impacting on an estimated 500,000 children.
As the Prime Minister left he was serenaded by the school's orchestra playing traditional Chinese instruments.
Enlarge
Mr Cameron meets with Chinese school children at the Machikou Central Primary school, north of Beijing
Enlarge
Mr Cameron was serenaded by the school's orchestra playing traditional Chinese instruments
dailymail.co.uk
Britain and China fought two wars against each other - the first from 1839 to 1842 and the second from 1856 to 1860 - over opium, and both ended in defeats for the Chinese.
The first war broke out because British merchants smuggled opium into China from British India in defiance of Chinese prohibition laws). Further disputes over the treatment of British merchants in Chinese ports resulted in the Second Opium War. It ended when the British razed the Emperor's Palace in Peking (now Beijing) to the ground.
China was defeated in both wars, leaving its government having to tolerate the opium trade. Britain gained, amongst other things, Hong Kong, which it had until 1997.
But, unlike in Britain, the wars are very much remembered in China and this year marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the second war.
But, despite requests by the Chinese, Mr Cameron, who is attending a ceremony in South Korea tomorrow to mark November 11, refused to remove his poppy, as did Chancellor George Osborne, Business Secretary Vince Cable, Energy Secretary Chris Huhne and Education Secretary Michael Gove, who are all accompanying the Prime Minister in China.
Meanwhile, Mr Cameron - who is in China to encourage the world's second largest economy to buy British - took time out from official business during his visit to Beijing today to take a trip to the Great Wall of China.
The Prime Minister climbed a section of the wall at Juyong Pass, north of Beijing.
Signing his name in the visitors' book, the PM said the visit was a 'memorable' experience he would never forget.
The Prime Minister later visited the nearby Machikou Central Primary School, where he presented teachers and pupils with a 'seed rod' from the UK Pavilion at this year's Shanghai World Expo.
The pavilion - nicknamed the Dandelion - featured 60,000 rods containing seeds from the Millennium Seed Bank. It won the gold medal and received 8 million visitors, making it the most popular pavilion.
Britain was the world's mightiest economic power at the time of the Opium Wars, but soon it will be China overtaking the US.
David Cameron rejects Chinese request to remove 'offensive' poppies during visit
By James Chapman
10th November 2010
Daily Mail
The British defeated the Chinese in both opium wars - and the Chinese haven't forgotten. (Above) A British warship (on the right of the picture) can be seen as a Chinese ship is destroyed
David Cameron and four Cabinet ministers wore poppies in defiance of Chinese demands to remove them yesterday.
The Prime Minister was told that allowing his delegation to sport the symbol would cause grave offence because it would remind Chinese ministers and officials of the Opium Wars.
Also known as the Anglo-Chinese Wars, they were the climax of trade disputes between China and the British Empire over Chinese attempts to restrict British opium trafficking.
Wall visit: David Cameron is pictured with Chinese school children at the Great Wall north of Beijing, China
Enlarge
Poppy wearers: David Cameron drinks a toast with Education Secretary Michael Gove (left), Business Secretary Vince Cable (2nd left) and Chancellor George Osborne at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing
China was defeated in both the First Opium War, from 1839 to 1842 and the Second Opium War from 1856 to 1860.
This year marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the second war, which ended when British and French armies arrived in Peking and razed the Emperor's Palace to the ground.
The British victories in both conflicts apparently still weigh heavy on Chinese minds, since the prospect of British ministers and officials wearing poppies while attending this week's talks in Beijing prompted horror.
The poppy is the source of opium and Chinese officials were apparently unfamiliar with its importance in Britain in commemorating our war dead.
Mr Cameron, who is attending a ceremony in South Korea tomorrow to mark November 11, refused to remove his poppy, as did Chancellor George Osborne, Business Secretary Vince Cable, Energy Secretary Chris Huhne and Education Secretary Michael Gove, who are all accompanying the Prime Minister in China.
Enlarge
Impressed: The Prime Minister climbed a section of the wall at Juyong Pass, north of Beijing
Enlarge
Mr Cameron is shown the Great Wall of China by students from Beijing on the second of a two day trip to China
The Prime Minister waves to cameramen as he walks with the students earlier today
'When asked if it was a joke, the Chinese were stern-faced and said "No, we'd like you to remove them",' said one startled British aide.
'Clearly that was not an option so we tried to explain the importance of the poppy in Britain and informed them we would be wearing them all the same.'
Enlarge
Mr Cameron later met a group of young Chinese environmental activists from the Roots and Shoots movement which is launching a climate change initiative
Meanwhile, Mr Cameron took time out from official business during his visit to Beijing today to take a trip to the Great Wall of China.
The Prime Minister climbed a section of the wall at Juyong Pass, north of Beijing.
Signing his name in the visitors' book, the PM said the visit was a 'memorable' experience he would never forget.
Mr Cameron met a group of young Chinese environmental activists from the Roots and Shoots movement which is launching a climate change initiative inspired by the UK's 10:10 campaign to cut carbon emissions by 10% a year from 2010.
Roots and Shoots, which was started in the UK by United Nations peace ambassador Jane Goodall, aims to encourage individuals to play their part in protecting the environment.
The young activists told Mr Cameron about their plans for a 10:11 initiative in China to make carbon cuts in 2011, which they were launching today - the 10th day of the 11th month.
The Prime Minister later visited the nearby Machikou Central Primary School, where he presented teachers and pupils with a 'seed rod' from the UK Pavilion at this year's Shanghai World Expo.
The pavilion - nicknamed the Dandelion - featured 60,000 rods containing seeds from the Millennium Seed Bank.
Following the conclusion of the Expo - at which the UK Pavilion won a gold medal and was visited by 8 million people - the British Council are sending 1,000 rods to schools across China for use as a tool in teaching biodiversity.
At the Machikou school, Mr Cameron joined the children for an environmental studies lesson, helping them sort flashcards in Chinese and English characters.
The British pavilion at this year's Shanghai World Expo was the most popular and received the gold medal.
The school uses material from the British Council Climate Generation programme, which in the last three years has worked with nearly 1,000 schools across China, impacting on an estimated 500,000 children.
As the Prime Minister left he was serenaded by the school's orchestra playing traditional Chinese instruments.
Enlarge
Mr Cameron meets with Chinese school children at the Machikou Central Primary school, north of Beijing
Enlarge
Mr Cameron was serenaded by the school's orchestra playing traditional Chinese instruments
dailymail.co.uk
Last edited:
