UK's Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling is in China for a series of meetings with Prime Minister Wen Jiabao to improve economic ties. The trip comes as a report announced that China's sovereign fund has accumulated a stake of almost one percent in BP, Britain's largest company. (SOUNDBITE) (English) BRITISH FINANCE MINISTER ALISTAIR DARLING SAYING: "I believe an open market and free trade have been reflected in the U.K.'s opening to its investment including sovereign wealth funds. And we welcome the creation of the Chinese sovereign wealth fund that has potential for investing in our country." Darling brought British ministers, industrialists and bankers on the trip, hoping to capitalize on London's position as a financial centre by encouraging Chinese companies and banks to make greater use of its financial services industry. /// Meanwhile back in the UK, Prime Minister Gordon Brown met with banks and mortgage lenders to encourage them to pass on lower borrowing...