Britain in the glorious and golden autumn is going to extend the warmest welcome to President Xi Jinping of the People's Republic of China who will pay a state visit to the UK on Monday. It has been 10 years since then president Hu Jintao visited Britain in 2005. 

Under this circumstance, as British Chinese and overseas Chinese in the UK, we would like to avail of this great opportunity to unfold our memories to pen down the changes in the China-UK relationship that we have witnessed in the past 10 years.

A decade ago, overseas Chinese in the UK were mainly students. Their fortitude, modesty and diligence left locals with a vague impression. Walking on the street, they were often mistaken for Japanese.

Even as low-price commodities made in China enriched British life, they were quickly forgotten. The only thing that could win locals' thumb-ups was Chinese cuisine, but only Cantonese dishes were popular.

Besides, there were not so many Chinese schools in the UK, and most of them, due to the difficulties of recruitment and scarcity of students, were on the edge of bankruptcy.

With the rise of China, British residents are increasingly interested about anything related to the country, but the reports and news no matter whether good or bad, usually led to doubts and criticism toward China. 

The past decade has been conducive to moving  these two countries with different ideologies forward much closer to a strategic partnership.

Nowadays, British Chinese and overseas Chinese in the UK play a clearly important role. Quite a few Chinese faces can be seen in British politics. Overseas Chinese students, investment, travelers, visiting scholars, and political, cultural, and economic exchange bodies enrich almost every corner of the UK.

Locals in increasing number are able to use simple Chinese phrases like "Nihao," "Xiexie," and "Zaijian" to express their welcome and kindness.

Most of the main attractions offer tour and shopping guidelines in Chinese. More and more Chinese dishes have won over British appetites and hearts.

Chinese investment not only increases the local employment rate, but also cultivates a group of pro-China British people. Chinese products are no longer confined to plush toys but extend to more high-tech electronic goods, filling the gap of British manufacturing.

It is no longer difficult to find a place to learn Chinese. More and more Chinese schools and Confucius Institutes have been established, and even local universities offer Chinese lessons. All this is beneficial not only to the second-generation overseas Chinese, but also to local British by meeting their needs for learning Chinese.

Additionally, Chinese cultural feasts increasingly win the applause of local residents. It is common that more and more BBC prime time is saved for documentaries about China.

Not surprisingly, any Chinese element involved in academic research becomes a bargaining chip in funding applications.

All these are the episodes of British Chinese memories about the past 10 years of the China-UK relationship, witnessing harmonious cooperation progressing between these two powerful nations.

We highly believe that President Xi's state visit will strengthen the China-UK bilateral relationship. Xi's "One Belt, One Road" initiative will surely provide great opportunities for Britain to surpass bottlenecks in the age of globalization.

It is predicted that China and the UK will usher in a much stronger and more prosperous relationship in the future, just as George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer when delivering a speech to the Shanghai Stock Exchange in China on September 22, predicted a bright future for bilateral cooperation and suggested, "Let's stick together and create a golden decade for both of our countries."

Jiao Kun is a Chinese migrant to the UK who has been living in the country for 10 years. Xu Jingcheng is a PhD candidate at Bangor university. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn

Read more in Special Coverage: