China ‘actively considering’ sending high-level delegation to Queen Elizabeth’s funeral
- President Xi Jinping has already sent condolences to King Charles and Vice-President Wang Qishan visited the British embassy in Beijing to pay tribute
- A number of world leaders, including Joe Biden and Emmanuel Macron, are expected to attend the ceremony in London
Mao Ning, a spokeswoman for the ministry, told a regular press conference on Wednesday that Beijing will release further information when appropriate.
Most Commonwealth leaders – including Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau – and European leaders such as French President Emmanuel Macron and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier have confirmed their attendance at the funeral. US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will also make the trip.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is one of the few leaders who did not receive an invitation to the funeral following the invasion of Ukraine, along with the leaders of Belarus and Myanmar, according to the Press Association, which cited government sources.
The Kremlin has confirmed that Putin’s personal attendance at the funeral is not “an option” and the Myanmar government has been sanctioned by Britain over last year’s coup.