Expat’s death to be part of PM’s talks with Chinese

Prime Minister David Cameron is “likely” to raise the death of British businessman Neil Heywood when he meets a senior Chinese Communist Party official in Downing Street today, aides have said.

Mr Cameron’s talks with Politburo member Li Changchun are due to focus on trade, cultural and education links between Britain and China, Number 10 said. But the pair are also likely to discuss the investigation into Mr Heywood’s death in Chongqing, central China, last November.

Mr Heywood, 41, was a friend of the family of Bo Xilai, a former rising star in Chinese politics who served as local party chief in Chongqing, but was suspended from the Politburo earlier this month amid allegations of “serious discipline violations”.

State media reports in China have suggested that investigations indicate that Mr Heywood had been murdered.

Unconfirmed reports online have suggested that he may have died from cyanide poisoning after allegedly having an affair with Mr Bo’s wife, prominent lawyer Gu Kailai.

At the time of his death, Chinese officials said the British expat died of “excessive alcohol consumption”. But friends questioned this, saying the businessman was not a heavy drinker.

However, no post-mortem examination was carried out, and his body was cremated.

In February, Mr Bo’s former police chief, Wang Lijun, sought refuge in the US consulate in China. It is thought he made a number of claims against Mr Bo and Ms Gu, including her alleged role in Mr Heywood’s death.

Asked whether Mr Cameron planned to raise the Heywood case with Mr Li, a Downing Street spokeswoman said: “I think he will echo what the Foreign Secretary has said, that we welcome the investigation that is ongoing and we look forward to seeing the outcome of that.”