By John Ross    Source: Global Times    Published: 2015-10-18

Xi Jinping`s visit to Britain from October 19 to 23 represents a triumph of China`s diplomacy - a demonstration of how firmness on principles together with willingness to meet any positive openings halfway can yield big benefits for China and other countries.

Britain is doing everything possible to ensure the visit takes place in a "honeymoon" atmosphere. The invitation to Xi Jinping to stay at Buckingham Palace shows Britain`s highest possible protocol level.

A further indication of the importance Britain attaches to the visit is the way it refused to follow US advice over such a major foreign policy question as relations with China - it is rare for Britain to defy the US.

It is well-known that Britain refused US requests to boycott the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and sniping against Britain in major US newspapers such as the Washington Post, claiming it is "kow-towing" to China, has been disregarded.

Britain is involving serious Western experts on China`s economy in preparing the visit. Jim O`Neill, Goldman Sachs` former chief economist, who invented the "BRIC" concept, is now a minister and advising Osborne and Prime Minister Cameron on China relations.

O`Neill`s analysis is well-known - he is advising that China will continue to outperform other major economies.

The foundation for real, not purely rhetorical, "win-win" relations between the two countries is clear. It illustrates the fundamental principle that it is not economic similarity but difference that can be most beneficial - the basis of international division of labour and comparative advantage.

The differences between the two  economies are striking. China has become the world`s largest industrial producer, the world`s largest goods trading nation, and runs a large manufactured trade surplus.

Britain has undergone one of the sharpest declines of manufacturing as a proportion of its economy of any country, has run a deficit on manufactured trade for many decades, but has a large trade surplus in financial and other services.

The two economies are therefore complementary rather than directly competing, creating correspondingly large advantages for both in cooperation.

Britain is genuinely attempting to create a good atmosphere for the visit. If Britain continues on last year`s path, something even better than a honeymoon can be created - a long and successful marriage.

The author is a senior fellow at the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies, Renmin University of China.