Stanley Johnson said his connection to China started 60 years ago when, as a young student from Oxford University, he embarked on his first trip to follow Polo's route with two companions. Unfortunately, the plan was to stall because of a lack of time and visas.

"As someone who is fascinated and intrigued by China all my life, I am convinced more than ever that there is a need to build bridges from the East to the West and from the West to the East. That is what Macro Polo tried to do in the 13th century and that is what I and Max, and all those who have helped us on this project, have tried to do," he said.

Dale Templar, head producer and director of the British team, said the satisfactory outcome could not have been achieved without close collaboration between China and the UK.

On the same day, a ceremony launching the revamped China Hour time slot, a Chinese TV programming slot offered by CITVC in the UK, also took place.

China Hour was launched in 2016 on Sky TV, one of the UK's largest pay-TV broadcasters. As of July, China Hour had expanded its reach through comprehensive cross-media broadcasting. Now, in addition to Sky TV, audiences can watch more programs, including In the Footsteps of Macro Polo when it is completed, on the Web, APP, and Ayozat TV streaming media platform.