Film retracing Marco Polo's journey east premieres in London

LONDON — A documentary retracing the ancient journey of Marco Polo (1254-1324), a Venetian merchant and explorer who traveled to China during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), premiered in London on Wednesday.

In the Footsteps of Marco Polo is a film produced by One Tribe TV starring Stanley Johnson and Max Johnson.

The father and son duo followed Marco Polo's 13th-century route through China, starting from the land port on the China-Pakistan border, traversing the highlands of North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region and ending in Beijing.

Stanley Johnson, former British politician and father of former prime minister Boris Johnson, says that he initially began the journey with his friends in 1961 from Venice, Italy, but stopped at the border between Afghanistan and China.

"We took this as an opportunity to build bridges between the East and the West," says Stanley Johnson. "It's important nowadays because we are confronting global issues like climate change and we must work together."

Chinese Ambassador to Britain Zheng Zeguang said in his opening address that the movie is not only about pursuing dreams but also about China-Britain collaboration.

This movie will inspire more people in Britain to make similar journeys, meet the people, learn the culture, and appreciate the landscapes and accomplishments of China, says Zheng, inviting British people to visit China.

"It's exciting to follow the journey of Marco Polo," says Max Johnson, who lived and studied in China. "And as his son, I have to follow in my father's footsteps. It's a very beautiful moment for me. Many people say things about China but they haven't even been there. It's important to go to China and see it for yourself."