What do you get that hard-to-buy-for individual on your shopping list? If you are Prime Minister David Cameron and you find yourself on the way to meet up with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang during his first official visit to the UK, there’s only one option…you play the Downton Abbey card. Seems as though the PM secured a copy of the script for the show’s first episode signed by creator/writer Julian Fellowes to give to the Chinese Premier as a gift recently.
 

Evidently, as with the rest of Planet Earth, the British period drama has been a huge hit in China. Last year, according to the Hollywood Reporter, a study from Beijing-based entertainment research firm Entgroup has revealed that China’s urban wealthy and educated are increasingly buzzing about Britain’s lavishly produced TV dramas, including shows such as Downton Abbey and Sherlock. It seems as thought social media sites that draw an exclusive white-collar and college-educated user base are seeing a significant increase in the discussion of British shows when they air. Just so you don’t think the PM got off easy, he also gave Keqiang a special £10 gold coin designed by artist Wuon-Gean Ho which celebrates the Chinese year of the horse and a DVD box set of works by Charles Dickens.

Wonder what you get him next year?