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Theresa May in talks with Chinese president Xi Jinping Theresa May hails 'first step' to trade deal after Xi Jinping talks
(about 1 hour later)
Theresa May has met President Xi Jinping for talks on the second day of her visit to China. Theresa May has agreed a joint trade and investment review with China as the first step towards an "ambitious" post-Brexit deal, Downing Street said.
At a joint press conference with Mr Xi, Mrs May said Britain and China were enjoying a "golden era" in their relationship. The prime minister said "we will be free to strike our own trade deals" after leaving the EU, following talks with China's President Xi Jinping.
And she wanted to "take further forward the global strategic partnership that we have established". Mr Xi said China's markets would be further opened to the UK, including in beef, dairy and other food products.
Mrs May said £9bn in business deals would be signed on her three-day trip.
During their 80-minute meeting, Mrs May and Mr Xi discussed their shared determination to end illegal nuclear activity by North Korea and agreed that denuclearisation was the objective, Downing Street said.
In the wake of democracy protests in Hong Kong, they restated their commitment to the "One Country, Two Systems" arrangement in place since the former colony was handed back by the UK to China in 1997.
Stressing that he was looking forward to building on the success of the UK-China relationship, Mr Xi quoted Shakespeare, saying: "What's past is prologue."
Mrs May "pointed to the joint trade and investment review which will now take place as the first step towards delivering ambitious future trade arrangements", Downing Street said.
The two leaders also agreed to hold more talks on China's Belt and Road infrastructure initiative at their meeting, which was also attended by the UK's International Trade Secretary Liam Fox.
Mrs May and Mr Xi agreed the importance of having frank conversations in areas where the two countries do not see eye-to-eye, Downing Street said in a statement.
Talks between the two leaders were followed by a traditional Chinese tea ceremony for Mrs May and husband Philip, hosted by President Xi and China's First Lady Madame Peng and a dinner at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse.
The UK prime minister is in China at the head of a 50-strong business delegation.The UK prime minister is in China at the head of a 50-strong business delegation.
With Mrs May's discussions with Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday largely given over to trade and Brexit, the talks with Mr Xi were due to focus on global issues, including North Korea's nuclear ambitions.
After shaking hands for the cameras, Mrs May and Mr Xi were seated with their delegations on opposite sides of a large conference table at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing.
Mrs May hailed improved trading links between the two nations since Mr Xi's state visit to Britain in 2015.
She added: "I'm very pleased with the people-to-people links we have been able to build on in education and in culture too.
"Also as you say we are both significant players on the world stage of outward looking countries.
"And as we both sit together as permanent members of the security council of the united nations, there are global challenges which we both face, as do others in the world."
Mrs May is understood to have raised environmental issues with Mr Xi - and she presented him with a box-set of the BBC's Blue Planet II series, with a personal message from presenter Sir David Attenborough.Mrs May is understood to have raised environmental issues with Mr Xi - and she presented him with a box-set of the BBC's Blue Planet II series, with a personal message from presenter Sir David Attenborough.
The show examined the effect of human behaviour on the environment and was referenced by Mrs May last month when she pledged to eradicate all avoidable plastic waste in the UK by 2042 as part of a 25-year green strategy.The show examined the effect of human behaviour on the environment and was referenced by Mrs May last month when she pledged to eradicate all avoidable plastic waste in the UK by 2042 as part of a 25-year green strategy.
Warm words
On the first day of her trip the prime minister announced a UK-China effort to strengthen international action against the illegal trade in ivory.On the first day of her trip the prime minister announced a UK-China effort to strengthen international action against the illegal trade in ivory.
After meeting Mrs May in Beijing on Wednesday, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said China would further open up its markets to the UK, including to agricultural products and financial services. UK-China trade is currently worth a £59bn a year.
UK-China trade is currently worth a £59bn a year and Mrs May has said she expects deals worth a further £9bn to be signed during the course of her visit.
One of the UK companies travelling with the PM, health-tech firm Medopad, has said it signed more than £100m of commercial projects and partnerships with organisations including China Resources, GSK China, Peking University and Lenovo.One of the UK companies travelling with the PM, health-tech firm Medopad, has said it signed more than £100m of commercial projects and partnerships with organisations including China Resources, GSK China, Peking University and Lenovo.
BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg said the prime minister would want to build on the warm words from China when she meets Mr Xi, amid pressure on her from her own party and Brussels in recent days.
Fox urges Tories to focus on the 'big picture'Fox urges Tories to focus on the 'big picture'
By Laura Kuenssberg, political editorBy Laura Kuenssberg, political editor
International Trade Secretary Liam Fox is in China and wants his restive colleagues at home to focus on the big picture.International Trade Secretary Liam Fox is in China and wants his restive colleagues at home to focus on the big picture.
Listing the number of deals that have been done already this week during the prime minister's visit he told me that building levels of trade with China is a real "success story".Listing the number of deals that have been done already this week during the prime minister's visit he told me that building levels of trade with China is a real "success story".
No 10 is confident that by the end of this marathon trip well over £9bn of new contracts will have been secured - such a high profile political investment edging deals over the line.No 10 is confident that by the end of this marathon trip well over £9bn of new contracts will have been secured - such a high profile political investment edging deals over the line.
Read more from LauraRead more from Laura