Amnesty UK's director Kate Allen has welcomed Commons Speaker John Bercow's references to "international law, individual liberty and morality" when he introduced President Xi Jinping.

During their time at Clarence House, President Xi and Madame Peng will view a display by the Prince's School for Traditional Arts, external and meet some of its students.

The school is apparently a place where students learn the "practical skills of the traditional arts and crafts" as well as "an understanding of the philosophy inherent within them" - put slightly more simply, it's things like calligraphy, wood carving and ceramics.   

A couple of shots from the Chinese president's address earlier - given in the beautiful Royal Gallery.

It has been used for receptions for various foreign statesmen and dignitaries such as Haile Selassie, the Emperor of Ethiopia, in 1954, and Nikita Krushchev, of the Soviet Union, in 1956.  

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Wherever President Xi goes on his state visit, he is sure to have protesters campaigning for better human rights somewhere nearby.

Chen Guancheng, a lawyer and human rights campaigner,told the BBC outside Buckingham Palace that he was imprisoned for seven years for defending "the vulnerable, the needy, the poor and women's rights".

He added: "These kind of human rights violations continue. Many human rights lawyers and defenders continue to suffer imprisonment and torture."

Image source, Getty Images

We're told that Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn will have a private chat with President Xi a little later today. The Independent's Liam Young says, external Mr Corbyn will ask the Chinese leader to stop abusing his people if he wants to do deals with Britain.

This, he writes, is a strategy that has "apparently never crossed Cameron or George Osborne’s minds".

The Henry Jackson Society, a centre-right think tank, is calling on the government to protect domestic security in its trade deals with China. 

Associate Fellow Ellen Bork says:

Charles and Camilla had best put the kettle on - President Xi has now arrived at Clarence House. 

A bit more on that mention by Commons Speaker John Bercow, in his introductory address for President Xi, of Burma's Aung San Suu Kyi.

He described her as a "democracy champion and international symbol of the innate human right of freedom". 

Mr Bercow continued:

Carrie Gracie
China editor

I thought it was quite entertaining that President Xi Jinping did a bit of one-upmanship about politics. 'Yes,' he said, 'you had your Parliament from the 13th Century, but we started talking about the rule of law and people's rights from 4,000 years ago and began codifying it all 2,000 years ago, so let's just remember who’s really the ancient power here.'

President Xi and Madame Peng are due to arrive at Clarence House within the next few minutes to meet the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall for tea. Will it be a Chinese blend? 

Norman Smith
Assistant political editor

I did think Speaker Bercow's initial introduction, mentioning Aung San Suu Kyi, was actually meant as a little dig at the Chinese. Just to say, 'For us, democracy is very, very important.' It was a deliberate move by the Speaker.

As was, I thought, the observation by President Xi when he said 'no country remains strong or weak forever.' You may just read into that that he's thinking, 'In China, we are now strong, Britain, perhaps you are on the road to being rather weaker.'

Carrie Gracie
China editor

This is the kind of parliamentary experience China's president likes - one where he speaks and everyone listens. 

John Bercow's mention of freedom, and specifically the Burmese leader Aung San Suu Kyi, seemed pointed, however, and that will have been perceived on the Chinese side as a bit of a dig.

The British Monarchy Twitter account continues to tease us with a glimpse of what's on the menu for the state banquet tonight.

Towards the end of his speech, Mr Xi told the assembled MPs and ministers he hoped they would continue to "promote the UK's relations with China, strengthen our friendship and support our co-operation".

He added: "I hope you will build a bridge of understanding and co-operation so as to help create an even brighter and more promising future of our bilateral ties." 

Lords Speaker Baroness d'Souza now begins her address. She says China has "truly opened up to the world" since President Xi took office.

Mr Xi has now finished speaking, and is given a warm round of applause by the crowd.

President Xi quotes Shakespeare, saying: "What's past is prologue," and follows it up with a Chinese expression: "A mountain can never be too high, or an ocean too deep."