No lectures for China's Xi Jinping on human rights, but a few subtle reminders
Queen Elizabeth II and Commons Speaker John Bercow both make remarks about China's wider obligations
Although British politicians chose not to publicly lecture President Xi Jinping on human rights issues, there was no shortage of subtle messages from Queen Elizabeth and House of Commons Speaker John Bercow.
While the queen hailed the "visionary concept" of "one country, two systems" that late leader Deng Xiaoping introduced, Bercow praised Parliament's recent guest Aung San Suu Kyi as a "champion of democracy" before inviting Xi to address the House of Commons.
The queen said Deng's idea had opened the way for the return of Hong Kong to Chinese sovereignty, although she avoided making any comments about the city's election of a new chief executive in 2017.
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Xi's UK state visit
Pro-democracy campaigners have accused British Prime Minister David Cameron of failing to back Hong Kong demonstrators, who argue Beijing's decision that only vetted candidates can run violates the Joint Declaration.
Bercow appeared to make a veiled reference to China's poor human rights record by mentioning Suu Kyi, a Nobel peace prize laureate, which might remind some listeners about jailed dissident Liu Xiaobo , China's own laureate.
"Welcome to the Royal Gallery," he said. "We have had no fewer than four prominent daughters and sons of Asia in our Parliament in the last three years, starting with Aung Sang Suu Kyi of Burma - the Nobel peace prize winner, democracy champion and international symbol of the innate human right of freedom."
