Chinese PM in talks with Tories

Wen Jiabao also met Prime Minister Gordon Brown during the visit

Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao is meeting Tory leader David Cameron and shadow foreign secretary William Hague on day two of his UK visit.

The focus is on the global financial downturn, with the UK and China both keen to boost their economic ties.

The Free Tibet protest group is planning a number of demonstrations during the visit.

Earlier Mr Hague warned the meeting with Mr Wen would not gloss over China's human rights record.

Mr Hague said: "We always in our meetings with Chinese leaders raise issues of human rights and Tibet and so on, and I think it's always important to do that to be consistent over time so we don't just raise these things when they are in the news."

He added: "We also want a very constructive relationship with China because they are members of the UN Security Council - when it comes to things like the North Korean nuclear programme we need China to be working with us."

Mr Wen's European tour, which includes three days in Britain, takes in Germany, Spain, the EU in Brussels and the World Economic Forum in Davos.

The Chinese PM is expected to join celebrations in London on Sunday marking the start of the Chinese New Year.

He will also make a speech at the University of Cambridge, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.

'Troubled times'

BBC News correspondent Jill McGivering said Mr Wen is expected to promote China's economic prospects and push for more investment from the UK.

She said: "These are troubled times - and Britain and China are sticking together.

"Gordon Brown sees China as a powerful ally as he presses for reform of international financial bodies.

"And China's economy - expected to grow at about 7% this year - is very attractive to British investors."

She added that Mr Wen would be seeking reassurance that the UK will join China's fight against global protectionism.

This is when governments restrict import quotas in a bid to protect domestic industries from global competition - but China says this is damaging to its export trade.

The visit follows an announcement earlier this month by Foreign Secretary David Miliband that improving relations with China is to be a "major priority" for the UK in the years ahead.

'Candid'

In a 20-page framework document Mr Miliband said the UK will be "candid" when it disagrees with China, but will build a relationship based on co-operation

He also stressed the importance of economic ties between the two countries and emphasised China's growing role in international affairs.

The document represents a sort of stock-taking of ties between London and Beijing and sets out aspirations for the way in which Sino-UK ties should develop over the next four years.

Mr Wen has snubbed France during his European tour, reportedly because of a meeting between President Nicolas Sarkozy and the Dalai Lama late last year.

China reacted at the time by cancelling a scheduled summit with the EU.