China's Premier Stops At Shakespeare's Home

Premier Wen Jiabao and his large entourage arrived in Stratford-upon-Avon to be greeted by dozens of flag-waving members of the UK's Chinese community.

He then toured the Bard's birthplace - now a museum - before sitting in the sun-drenched garden to watch a short scene from Hamlet, one of his favourite plays.

Speaking to Sky News, he said his love of Shakespeare began as a child.

"The local people here have every reason to take pride that this place has produced a figure who belongs not only to the UK but to the world," Mr Wen said.

"A great man who belongs not just to his era but to entire history."

"We already have 150,000 Chinese visiting the UK every year - I believe that's the tip of the iceberg," he explained.

"When you look at what places like Stratford have to offer we think we can double, even treble over the next few years."

Mr Wen is in Britain to discuss trade and investment links. China is the UK's second biggest trading partner outside the EU, with business worth £31bn a year.

With its own manufacturing increasingly outsourced to cheaper labour markets like Vietnam, China is keen to establish a business foothold in Europe, particularly by investing in established brands.

From Stratford, Mr Wen travelled to the former Rover factory at Longbridge, now owned by Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation.

There he launched the new MG6 Magnette, a car built in China but assembled in Birmingham, while outside demonstrators protested about China's human rights.

Mr Wen will hold talks with David Cameron at Downing Street on Monday, where there are expected to be more protests.

As well as trade, the Prime Minister is expected to raise the issue of China's human rights record.

On the eve of his visit, two prominent dissidents - artist Ai Weiwei and political activist Hu Jia - were both released from prison. Neither has been allowed to speak to the media.

China launched one of its biggest ever crackdowns on dissent in February fearing protests like those seen in the Arab world.

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Fritz and the Oscars: Number 18: Shakespeare in Love (Best Picture ...

Is a movie where simply everything works – the screenplay is easily one of the best ever written and combines the work of Shakespeare with all the ingredients of an unforgettable love story. Joseph Fiennes was certainly robbed of an Oscar nomination (seriously, why did this happen? He didn’t even get a nomination at the Golden Globes!) as he carries the movie with ease and charm. His Will is a romantic hero but also flawed and very human. Gwyneth Paltrow is a ray of light as Viola and creates a charming and lovely heroine. Judi Dench steals every scene she is in as Queen Elizabeth I while Geoffrey Rush, Imelda Staunton, Tom Wilkinson and Ben Affleck give outstanding support.

Harvey Weinstein has destroyed Oscar magic if you like with his uncompromising and aggressive campaigns for various films(even this year with King's speech),but Shakespeare in love is one shining exception.Everything is so perfect in this film,and i totally agree with Paltrow's Oscar win(Thank you Harvey for preventing Cate Blanchett winning for her awfully miscast performance in Elizbeth).Saving Private Ryan is also great,but when you have two great films one romantic comedy and the other war epic,knowing academy's taste you have to cheering for comedy(first since Annie Hall!)for top Oscar!

Well, I thought it was very good and the music was just perfect but I wasn't very impressed with it and I certainly don't want to watch it again right now (I saw it for the first time last week). Geoffrey Rush, Imelda Staunton, Tom Wilkinson and Judi Dench were perfect, the two leads were very good but I didn't enjoy their performances that much, but I agree about the wonderful scenes mixing Shakespeare's words with theirs and the editing was really nice. It is probably top 60 for me.

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