WITH Chinese President Xi Jinping currently enjoying a historic state visit to the UK — Bolton has hosted its own delegation from the Far East.

A group of about 40 staff and students from the famous Bayi School in Beijing — which President Jinping once attended — came to the borough to visit the town and its football club.

Wanderers helped to organise the trip, which saw the school’s vice-principal sign a memorandum of understanding with the club, which is aimed at forging links that could result in Whites coaches travelling to China and Bayi students coming to train at the new free school at the Macron.

Simon Li, of the China Alliance, which organised the visit with Whites, said: “The idea is that in the future, students from Bayi will come to train as students at the Bolton Wanderers Free School and perhaps go on to study at the University of Bolton.”

The excited youngsters were given the full tour of the Macron and were allowed to step out on the hallowed turf and walk through the players' tunnel.

One of the students, 12-year-old Davidson Jiaduo Zhu, said: “We really enjoyed visiting the stadium and going onto the pitch.

“I really enjoy playing football and play the position of left-back, maybe one day I will be able to play in Bolton.”

There were some big names at the Macron event as well, in the shape of Premier League chairman Sir Dave Richards and Li Yong Sheng, the Chinese Consul General in Manchester.

As well as promoting footballing links, the trip was also an opportunity to discuss possible business opportunities between Bolton and China.

Bolton Council’s executive cabinet member for regeneration, Cllr Ebrahim Adia, said: “China is the world’s second largest economy and while we’ve had the delegation here we’ve been promoting business opportunities in Bolton for Chinese investors.

“Bolton has already fostered links with other areas in China, and this visit has been an excellent way of promoting Bolton as a place for them to trade.”

After soaking up the Macron atmosphere, the students travelled into the centre of Bolton to take in some of the sights including the town hall and the museum and library in Le Mans Crescent as well as The University of Bolton.

Joining them throughout their Bolton visit was the Mayor of Bolton Cllr Carole Swarbrick.

She said: “It has been a fantastic day and the kids from the Bayi School have really enjoyed themselves.

“We were also able to show the delegation all the exciting things going on in Bolton and how we are moving forward as a town.”