Cleverly is the first senior British minister in five years to visit China, a trip that he hopes will reset ties between the two countries after years of tension over security, investment and human rights concerns.

The foreign secretary has argued it would be a mistake to isolate the world's second-largest economy or tackle climate change without its input, but some Conservative lawmakers say the trip looks like an expression of British weakness.

"We are clear-eyed about the areas where we have fundamental disagreements with China and we raise those issues when we meet," he told broadcasters.

"But I think it's important to also recognise that we have to have a pragmatic, sensible working relationship with China because of the issues that affect us all around the globe."

China Vice President Han Zheng told Cleverly at their meeting that he hoped the two countries could make new advances in their relations. Cleverly will hold a meeting with his counterpart Wang Yi later.

The British government is under pressure from several lawmakers, including the former Prime Minister Liz Truss, who want London to toughen its policy on China and to declare the country a threat to British national security.

One Conservative, speaking on condition of anonymity, said it was unclear what the "benefit" of the trip was. "We should be robust towards China, but this looks the opposite," the lawmaker said.

CHINA STRATEGY 'HIDDEN'

The head of parliament's foreign affairs committee, Conservative Alicia Kearns, said she feared ministers had no coherent strategy on Beijing after her committee released a report critical of the government's China policy.

She said the strategy was buried, "kept hidden even from senior ministers across government", she said. "How can those implementing policy - and making laws - do so without an understanding of the overall strategy?"

The committee also referred to Taiwan as an "independent country" in a break with the British government's position. Beijing considers Taiwan part of China and strongly objects to perceived foreign interference with the island.

Britain's government does not recognise Taiwan and has no formal diplomatic relations with the island but it maintains economic and trade ties and there is a de facto British embassy in Taipei.

Cleverly's visit to China comes as other countries in the West also try to improve their relations with the country.

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo is on a four-day visit in China but warned that U.S. companies have complained to her that China has become "uninvestible".

After his meeting with Han, Cleverly said it was important the two governments continued with regular face-to-face meetings to avoid misunderstandings.

"Diplomacy makes a difference," he said.