LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister David Cameron was leading his country's largest ever delegation to China yesterday, hoping to win trade and woo a powerful potential ally as London seeks to cultivate ties beyond Washington and Europe.

Cameron, accompanied by four Cabinet ministers and about 50 business leaders, will arrive today for two days of talks in Beijing — his second major trip to court an emerging economy following a high-profile visit to India in July.

Britain's new government has made trade with developing economies its key foreign policy priority, hoping to spur the country's sluggish growth by boosting exports.

"Our message is simple," Cameron said in a statement. "Britain is now open for business, has a very business-friendly government, and wants to have a much, much stronger relationship with China."

He said the tour would "mark another step to making Britain the successful, open, trading and pro-business country that I want it to be".

Last year, China was Britain's third-largest source of imports and ninth-largest export market.

Cameron is being joined by executives from Royal Dutch Shell PLC, Tesco PLC, Barclays bank and Diageo PLC, among others. Treasury chief George Osborne, Business Secretary Vince Cable, Energy and Climate Change Secretary Chris Huhne and Education Secretary Michael Gove are also on the trip.

Cameron will meet with Chinese President Hu Jintao and holds talks today in Beijing with Premier Wen Jiabao. In a speech tomorrow, the British leader will insist that his country still has clout on the world stage.

"He will remind China that Britain matters, and that Britain is a strong trading partner for China," said a Cameron spokesman, on customary condition of anonymity in line with policy.

Cable, who is already in China for trade talks, said British firms had agreed a number of multimillion pound deals ahead of the delegation's arrival.

He said London-based architects Benoy had won three contracts worth about £4 million ($6.5 million). In deals to help China reduce greenhouse gas emissions, NorthgateArinso, a British human resources firm, will measure the carbon footprint of the eastern city of Wuxi, while British-based design and engineering firm Arup will study emissions in Beijing.

Chinese authorities also agreed to ensure that only whisky produced in Scotland can be marketed in China as Scotch — a move Cable's office said would increase sales.

"If it says Scotch whisky on the bottle, it will be Scotch whisky in the bottle in China's bars, restaurants, hotels and homes," said agriculture minister Jim Paice.