LONDON - British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao focused on expanding trade between their countries Wednesday in talks that also took up thorny issues including Iranian and North Korean nuclear programs and the Middle East.

Both men also said they had discussed cooperation on climate change and the need to secure world energy supplies. Blair believes it is crucial to bring China and its quickly spiraling demand for fuel into international efforts to fight global warming.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair (R) shakes hands with his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao at 10 Downing Street in London September 13, 2006. China's open policy to foreign media and financial information agencies remains unchanged and the government will protect their freedom and rights, Wen said on Wednesday. [Reuters]

Wen and Blair gave no details of their talks on North Korea and Iran and a Blair spokesman would not comment.

China, a key player in international efforts to pressure Tehran to halt uranium enrichment, has resisted US-led efforts to move quickly to UN sanctions as punishment for its refusal to do so. Wen has appealed to the international community to use diplomacy, rather than force, to resolve the standoff.

Beijing is also central to hopes of persuading that country to abandon its nuclear weapons program.

Blair said he and Wen had discussed human rights and thanked the Chinese leader for his frankness on the subject. He said Wen's openness about China's vision of its future "augurs very, very well."

The leaders lavished praise on one another and Wen said the relationship between both countries was stronger than ever. Blair and Wen predicted continued expansion of trade ties.

Three business deals were announced as part of the visit, including Air China's US$800 million (euro630 million) agreement to buy Trent 1000 engines for 15 Boeing 787 jets.

British Gas signed contracts with the China National Offshore Oil Corp. for exploration in the South China Sea and the engineering group Arup won an agreement to develop a design for the new Yunnan Kunming International Airport in southern China.

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