Mayor of London Boris Johnson [Photo/london.gov.uk]

London Mayor Boris Johnson sent a letter of congratulation to China Daily ahead of an unveiling ceremony for a statue of Ming the Giant Panda at London Zoo on Oct 21.

Here is the full text of his letter.?

I would like to offer my warmest welcome to President Xi Jiping to London on the occasion of his State Visit to the United Kingdom.

London and indeed the UK have long established ties with China, in part thanks to a large Chinese community that makes a huge contribution to our society. I am certain President Xi's visit will pave the way for maximising business opportunities and strengthening the relationship between Britain to China.

I am pleased to hear China Daily is staging an event during the State Visit to encourage tourism and cultural exchange to the capital. I wish you every success with the event and I look forward to welcoming more visitors, students and businesses from China to our great city.