Cameron leading bid for China sales

British Prime Minister David Cameron is travelling to China at the head of a delegation of more than 40 business leaders in a drive to win an export boost for British business in the world's fastest-growing big economy.

Senior figures from London's financial district, manufacturing and energy will join representatives of high-street companies including Boots, Tesco and Mothercare, to try to clinch contracts in the booming Chinese market.

In a demonstration of the importance that ministers place on China, the Prime Minister will head the largest British government delegation to the country.

But Cameron will have to strike a delicate diplomatic balance in banging the drum for British exporters at the same time as he comes under pressure to signal concern over Beijing's human rights record.

The British Government is anxious to close a huge trade gap with the world's most populous nation. The UK imported Chinese products worth £25.4 billion ($52 billion) last year, but goods worth just £7.7 billion went in the opposite direction - less than the value of British exports to the Netherlands, Belgium or Spain.

Britain also lags behind European Union partners Germany, France and Italy in export sales in China.

Ministers hope that China - which recently overtook Japan to become the world's second largest economy after the US - will help the world to emerge from economic stagnation.

Its economy is forecast to grow by more than 10 per cent this year, with Western countries happy to achieve growth of 2 per cent.

Cameron and four Cabinet ministers will be accompanied by 43 business leaders.

Several firms, including Shell, will seek to tap into the burgeoning demand for energy supplies. There are also hopes that Britain can sign an oil exploration contract during Cameron's two-day visit.

Barclays, the Royal Bank of Scotland, Whitbread, Rolls-Royce Marine and Legal & General are among those sending senior representatives in the hope of boosting their presence in China.

Although China has developed a free-market economy, building political ties with its communist regime is crucial for securing contracts. Mr Cameron will begin his visit with a meeting with Premier Wen Jiabao.

British sources insisted the Prime Minister would confront tricky foreign policy issues including Iran, where Chinese firms have been accused of violating UN sanctions on nuclear development work, and Chinese links with African regimes. He intends to raise the imprisonment of the Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo.

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