David Cameron raises human rights in China talks
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David Cameron has raised the issue of human rights during talks with the Chinese Prime Minister, Wen Jiabao, on a trade mission to Beijing.
The UK prime minister did not refer directly to jailed dissident and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, Liu Xiabo.
But BBC political editor Nick Robinson said Mr Cameron was expected to talk specifically about this later in the visit, which aims to promote trade.
Premier Wen said that the UK's visit had been "fruitful".
Mr Cameron, who is joined by four cabinet ministers and 43 business leaders, called the trip a "vitally important trade mission".
Engine maker Rolls-Royce has won a $1.2bn (£750m) contract - the biggest of the visit so far.
Pressure had been mounting on Mr Cameron to raise the issue of China's human rights record.
The two men met at a formal reception in the Great Hall of the People, as Mr Cameron arrived on his first trip as prime minister to the country.
Mr Cameron said it was correct that human rights would be discussed.
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“
Start Quote
[Trade Minister] Chen Deming's big point, for America - and to a lesser extent for the UK too - is that the American and British governments are largely to blame for their deficits with China”
Robert Peston
Business editor, BBC News
Does China's surplus matter?
"We have a really high-level dialogue with China on all sorts of issues, ranging from the economic and trade and business, and yes, of course, human rights, too," he told the BBC.
"Of course we shouldn't be lecturing or hectoring, but it's right we have a dialogue about these things, and that's what our relationship does."
But the Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, who says he was recently put under house arrest by the Chinese authorities, said Mr Cameron must make a public statement about China's human rights record.
He suggested that by avoiding the matter, the Prime Minister he was putting trade ahead of human rights.
"For anyone doing big business with China not to mention those universal values is putting money and short term profit before very important values. It's shameful."
The artist, whose work is currently being displayed in London's Tate Modern museum, added: "You have to do it publicly, not just privately. This is not going to work. Because privately we all know this is wrong and we don't even have to mention it."
A spokesman for the Chinese foreign ministry said the situation in his country had improved, telling reporters that Chinese people were "enjoying more extensive rights and freedoms".
'Closer engagement'
Mr Cameron promised "closer engagement" with China, and said "banging the drum for trade" was key to UK foreign policy.
He said British goods currently accounted for only 2% of China's imports and this had to change.
"Our message is simple: Britain is now open for business, has a very business-friendly government, and wants to have a much, much stronger relationship with China," he said.
The Chinese Commerce Minister, Chen Deming, said China was itself very keen to buy more goods from the West, including Britain, but was being held back by certain export restrictions.
He told the BBC that China wanted to buy a lot more hi-tech equipment, but was prevented by prohibitions on the sale to China of items that could have a military purpose.
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It is a reminder of how limited is the power of our government to even express deep concern let alone do anything about China's continued policy of repression and opposition to democracy”
Nick Robinson
BBC political editor
Robinson: China trade not rights
He said China wanted the hardware and software for peaceful purposes.
Among the most important deals signed so far is Rolls-Royce's $1.2bn contract, which is to supply a Chinese airline with Trent 700 engines for 16 Airbus A330 aircraft, along with long-term servicing.
Business Secretary Vince Cable, who arrived in Beijing ahead of the prime minister, had previously signed an agreement that will allow the export of British breeding pigs to China, home to half of the world's pig population.
That deal - and future business stemming from the agreement - is valued at about £45m to the British pig industry over the next five years.
The Chinese and British authorities also reached a deal to ensure only whisky produced in Scotland would be marketed in China as Scotch, a move some estimate will increase sales by tens of millions of pounds.
'Huge opportunity'
Mr Cameron's first stop after landing at Beijing airport was a Tesco supermarket, where he met staff and shoppers.
China has 99 outlets of the British store, which first opened in the country in 2004 and is planning a £2bn investment over the next five years.
Tesco's executive director Lucy Neville-Rolfe, who is part of the business delegation, said: "China obviously represents a huge opportunity for growth, with large numbers of consumers and a government which thinks that expanding internal consumption is important."
Chancellor George Osborne has said that this is not a new chapter in British relations with China, but that the country had reached a stage in its development where it was "more likely to want the things which Britain is good at".
These included financial services, insurance and luxury goods, he added.
Currently, exports to China, although growing fast, are relatively small compared with other markets. For example, the UK exports twice as much to the Irish Republic as to China.
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Sat Oct 02, 2010 11:04 pm