British Prime Minister arrives in China eyeing post-Brexit trade links

May began her visit in the central industrial city of Wuhan and will be in China until Friday in what the Chinese foreign ministry has touted as a "historic visit".

Later on Wednesday, May will head to Beijing, where she will meet Premier Li Keqiang.

"My visit will intensify the 'Golden Era' in UK-China relations. The depth of our relationship means we can have frank discussions on all issues," she said earlier this week.

May was travelling as she battles criticism over her Brexit strategy back home, where the House of Lords is scrutinising a key piece of legislation on leaving the EU and a leaked government report showed only economic downsides to leaving the bloc.

Britain's ties with China have grown in importance as London contemplates its economic future after it officially leaves the EU in March 2019.

May travelled with her husband, Philip May, along with a delegation of 50 businesses and organisations, which her office said was "the largest" Britain has ever taken overseas.

"The visit will focus on exploring new opportunities for British business, both now and post Brexit, maximising the benefit to the UK from China's economic opening," a Downing Street spokesman said.

May will also take the opportunity to discuss a wide range of other issues, including climate change and North Korea, but she was also under pressure to address the political situation in former colony Hong Kong and human rights abuses in mainland China.

China also has high expectations that London will endorse its Belt and Road initiative, a massive infrastructure project aimed at reviving ancient Silk Road trade routes and creating greater market access for Chinese companies.

"It's natural that Belt and Road cooperation is an opportunity for the two sides to tap into our cooperation for win-win results," Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters on Tuesday.

The British government, however, has been less sanguine about the project, with May's spokesman saying that while the idea holds promise, it is "vital that BRI projects meet international standards".

She will hold talks with President Xi Jinping on Thursday and finish her visit Friday in the eastern business hub of Shanghai.

Rights and Hong Kong

Before her trip, the former British governor of Hong Kong, Chris Patten, urged May to address concerns about the political situation in the semi-autonomous city, which London handed back to Beijing in 1997.

In a letter to May's Downing Street office, Patten said Hong Kong was facing "increasing threats to the basic freedoms, human rights and autonomy" that its people were promised at the 1997 handover.

Human Rights Watch also urged the British leader to "get tough with China" on rights.

But business is the focus of her trip.

Britain has said it will leave the EU's single market and customs union so that it can strike its own trade deals with countries outside the bloc, making China's huge market an attractive target.

In preparation, a parade of British officials travelled to China in recent months.

Trade minister Liam Fox discussed market access for British exports, including its key sector of financial services.

Finance minister Philip Hammond worked on final preparations for a "stock connect" linking the London and Shanghai exchanges, and mulled the possibility of connecting their bond markets as well.