Queen Elizabeth II dies, Charles becomes king

Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed condolences to the British royal family over the death of Queen Elizabeth II. He noted in the statement Friday that Elizabeth was the first British monarch to visit China, which she did in 1986. “Her death is a great loss to the British people.” The statement added that China was willing to work with King Charles III as an opportunity to promote bilateral relations and benefit the two countries and their people. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang also sent a message of condolence to British Prime Minister Liz Truss. The queen’s death Thursday comes amid tensions between Britain and China over human rights, trade and China’s relentless crackdown on free speech and the political opposition in the former British colony of Hong Kong. The Queen’s death was a top trending topic on Chinese social media, with many people saying her death marks the end of an era.