Welcomed with pomp and protests, China's Xi hails ties with Britain

By Michael Holden and Elizabeth Piper LONDON (Reuters) - Chinese President Xi Jinping hailed the "brighter future" of close ties with Britain on Tuesday at the start of a pomp-laden visit that should seal more than $46 billion of deals but drew criticism from rights campaigners.Britain rolled out the red carpet for Xi, welcoming him with a 41-gun salute before he rode to Buckingham Palace in a gilded carriage with Queen Elizabeth. At a state banquet, the queen called his visit a "defining moment