A golden opportunity for Prince Harry

The Foreign Office is asking Capt. Harry Wales to visit China. And why do they want him to do that?

His father Prince Charles has never visited and a trip by the 27-year-old would aid attempts to build a friendship, reported the Sunday Telegraph.
[...]
Tensions with China are growing after ongoing dialogue between Britain and the Dalai Lama - Tibet's spiritual leader and critic of Chinese rulers.

You mean that where all these refined, world-wise mandarins in the FO have failed, they think an Apache gunner and occasional striptease artist might succeed? Interesting. What are we paying the FO bods for, then? I can't imagine that British royalty per se is going to impress the kleptocratic dictatorship that seems to form the Chinese government.

Nevertheless, perhaps the FO is right. Harry should go to China. While there he should make repeated public references to the welfare of Tibetans, express hope that China and Taiwan can improve diplomatic relations (extra points for referring to the latter as "The Republic of China") and while speaking at Chinese universities should laud the freedom of speech and freedom to question authority that characterises British education and hope that such positive traits will be encouraged in China in future, in marked contrast to June 1989 in Beijing.^[1].

After all, what's the worst that China is going to do as a result? Ban English drivers from the following Formula 1 races in China? Throw Harry in jail? Flavour his drink with a little potassium cyanide? They're already annoyed by Britain just talking to the Dalai Lama, I don't see much downside risk here.

^[1] If that little lot doesn't cause this blog to be blocked by the Great Firewall of China, nothing will.