Theresa May in talks with Chinese president

Theresa May is to meet President Xi Jinping for talks later on the second day of her visit to China.

The agenda is expected to cover trade and security issues, including North Korea's nuclear programme.

The PM is in China at the head of a 50-strong business delegation.

She will also raise environmental concerns - and present Mr Xi 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.

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.

She also said Mr Xi's initiative to establish overland transport links between China and Europe would be discussed at their meeting.

In Beijing on Wednesday, the prime minister and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang agreed on a new trade and investment review, which is seen as a stepping stone to a full free trade agreement after Brexit.

Mr Li 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 and Mrs May has said she expects deals worth a further £9bn to be signed during the course of her visit.

She also indicated she would be fighting an EU proposal to give its citizens moving to the UK during the transition period after Brexit residency rights.

Source: bbc