Only one question allowed at Downing Street’s ‘press conference’ with President Xi, but it was a punchy one from Laura Kuenssberg:

LK: “Why do you think members of the British public should be pleased to do more business with a country that is not democratic, is not transparent and has a deeply, deeply troubling attitude towards human rights?”

Xi: “China attaches great importance to the protection of human rights. We combine the universal value of human rights with China’s reality and we have found a part of human rights development suited to China’s national conditions. With regard to protection of human rights, looking round the world we know that there is always room for improvement. All countries need to continuously improve and strengthen human rights protection to meet the need of the time and the people. On the issue of human rights, I think the people of our respective countries are in the best position to tell, and China is ready to, on the basis of equality and mutual respect, increase exchanges and cooperation with the UK and other countries in the area of human rights.”

Xi then read out his answer to a question from the Chinese press. Almost as if he knew what he was going to be asked…