May delays China trade trip as Beijing prioritises Trump
Theresa May has been forced to delay a trade mission to China - after being bumped for Donald Trump.
The trip was expected to take place next month, with Downing Street hoping it would show post-Brexit Britain ready to thrive on the world stage.
But the plans have been put on hold after Beijing apparently decided it needed to prioritise an Asian tour by the US president.
The setback is embarrassing for the government as dozens of business leaders are said to have been approached accompany the PM and forge closer links with the world's second-largest economy.
Theresa May met Chinese premier Xi Jinping at the G20 summit in Hangzhou in September last year (pictured). But she thought to have been forced to delay a trade mission to the country from next month
Sources told Sky News the visit had been pencilled in for the week of November 6, a time when Parliament is due to be in recess.
Mr Trump is set to visit five Fear East countries, including China and Japan, in early November.
The Chinese Communist Party's congress, which takes place every five years, is also due to be held at the end of this month and reportedly complicated the situation further.
Ministers have been eager to demonstrate Britain's pull beyond the EU, with the PM making high-profile trips to India, the Middle East and Japan.
Mrs May met Premier Xi Jinping at the G20 summit in Hangzhou, China, in September last year.
She heralded a 'golden era' for China-UK relations and said she was determined to deepen ties.
In an interview in January, Mrs May confirmed that she would be going there again on a trade mission.
'I'm certainly going to be making a visit to China and we are looking at what timing would be appropriate,' she said.
US president Donald Trump is set to visit five Fear East countries, including China and Japan, in early November
'We're obviously looking at our trading relationship with China.'
Lib Dem leader Sir Vince Cable said: 'This postponement shows Britain is well down the list of Chinese priorities.
'All those promised free trade deals that we were told would be easy seem to be gradually disappearing.'