China's 420K UK tourists 'should come and see Sark'

THE Chinese ambassador to the UK was 'enthralled' with Sark and how it operates during his short visit to the island, Conseiller Andrew Bache said.

His Excellency Liu Xiaoming extended his trip to Guernsey recently to travel over to Sark with his wife and two members of staff. He was taken on a carriage to see the new assembly room where Chief Pleas meets and was shown La Coupee before he had lunch at Stocks Hotel.

Mr Bache, a member of the General Purpose and Advisory Committee, said he also met Seigneur Michael Beaumont for half-an-hour.

'I doubt if he had ever heard of Sark, so this was a chance for him to see it for himself.

'He was very likeable and his English was exceptional.

'He was interested in everything – the Sark constitution, the position of the Seigneur and how Sark runs its government. He was also interested in what we grow in Sark and how tourism was doing.'

Mr Bache said the ambassador also raised the point of how many Chinese people visited the UK and what that could mean for the island.

He told Mr Bache that some of the 420,000 Chinese tourists who visit London every year should come and see Sark.

'That can't be bad for Sark tourism,' Mr Bache commented.

Mr Bache said he has never seen any Chinese tourists visit the island and believed it was the first official visit by an ambassador to Sark.

'He loved the visit and was enthralled by it all.'

During his three-day visit to Guernsey, Mr Xiaoming was given the honour of firing the noonday gun at Castle Cornet.

His trip has also included visits to the Occupation Museum and Victor Hugo's Hauteville House, as well as him being a guest at a Guernsey Finance dinner.