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Chinese premier Wen Jiabao in trade talks at No 10 PM signs China deals but urges respect for human rights
(40 minutes later)
  
David Cameron is holding talks with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in Downing Street focused on boosting trade links. David Cameron has said China provides a "huge opportunity" for British business as he announced £1.4bn of trade agreements between the two countries.
British firms hope to sign deals worth more than £1bn during Premier Wen's three day UK visit and get more access for exports across China. After meeting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao for talks, Mr Cameron hailed what he said was a "deeper dialogue".
But the UK PM is expected to stress that respect for human rights under the rule of law is an essential pre-requisite for increased UK investment. But he said political and economic progress must go hand in hand as respect for human rights was "the best guarantor" of prosperity and stability.
Wen Jiabao faced a small protest during a visit to the MG car plant on Sunday. Mr Wen urged co-operation and dialogue over the issue, not "finger-pointing".
The UK government was said to have been encouraged by the recent release from custody of artist Ai Wei Wei and other dissidents but wanted the Chinese authorities to do more to allow freedom of expression.
Trade gapTrade gap
During the talks, the two leaders are expected to sign an agreement to help UK companies get greater access to Chinese markets in architecture, civil engineering and research and development. During talks in Downing Street, the two leaders signed bilateral trade agreements worth £1.4bn and restated their desire to double the value of two-way trade between the countries by 2015.
In other areas, a ban on British poultry exports to China in place since a case of avian flu in 2007 is expected to be lifted while agreements will be signed to allow more pigs and pig meat to be sold to China. UK companies are to get greater access to Chinese markets in architecture, civil engineering and research and development while a ban on British poultry exports to China in place since a case of avian flu in 2007 is being lifted and more British pigs and pig meat are to be sold to China.
The two men are also likely to discuss improving cultural and educational relationships between China and the UK - building upon the large number of Chinese students at British universities - and global issues such as international security and climate change. The two men also discussed improving cultural and educational relationships between China and the UK - building upon the large number of Chinese students at British universities - and global issues such as international security and climate change.
No 10 is looking for a significant increase in two-way trade between the UK and China by 2015.
But the deals set to be announced on Monday will go only a very small way towards narrowing the huge trade gap with China.
British exports have increased by 20% since Mr Cameron led a major business delegation to Beijing last November and No 10 hopes to see an agreement to enable British business to branch out beyond Beijing and Shanghai into fast-growing regional cities.British exports have increased by 20% since Mr Cameron led a major business delegation to Beijing last November and No 10 hopes to see an agreement to enable British business to branch out beyond Beijing and Shanghai into fast-growing regional cities.
Premier Wen told the BBC on Sunday that he wanted to make it easier for British firms to export goods to China. No 'trade-off'
Mr Cameron rejected suggestions there was a "trade-off" between the UK's commercial interests in China and its willingness to speak out about human rights, saying no subject had been "off limits" in their talks.
While stressing that China and the UK were "different countries with different histories", Mr Cameron said the development of civil society and freedom of expression and respect for human rights "underpins stability prosperity for us all".
"We applaud the economic transformation that has taken place in China...But, as I said in Beijing last November, we do believe the best guarantor of prosperity and stability is for economic and political progress to go in step together."
Wen Jiabao faced a small protest about China's human rights record during a visit to the MG car plant on Sunday.
He told a news conference in London: "On human rights, China and the UK should respect each other, respect the facts, treat each other in equals, engage in more co-operation than finger-pointing and resolve our differences through dialogue," he said.
The UK government was said to have been encouraged by the recent release from custody of artist Ai Wei Wei and other dissidents but wanted the Chinese authorities to do more to allow freedom of expression.