China premier in UK visit to boost trade ties

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang is visiting Britain for a trip that includes an unusual meeting with Queen Elizabeth II and talks aimed at boosting fragile diplomatic relations.

The three-day visit is expected to focus on trade and investment cooperation in areas including nuclear power, high-speed railways and finance. It also aims to rebuild political ties that have cooled since Cameron met with the Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama in 2012.

Writing in The Times newspaper today, Li said he wanted to "present the real China so as to change misperceptions and ease misgivings."

Experts say the decision to grant Li the meeting with the queen even though he is not a head of state signals how keen Britain is to woo the Chinese.