FILE PHOTO: Chinese Vice Premier Hu Chunhua speaks at the plenary session of the World Economic Forum on ASEAN at the Convention Center in Hanoi, Vietnam September 12, 2018. REUTERS/Kham/File Photo

LONDON (Reuters) - Chinese Vice Premier Hu Chunhua has cancelled trade talks with Britain’s finance minister Philip Hammond after defence secretary Gavin Williamson threatened to deploy a warship in the Pacific, The Sun newspaper reported on Thursday.

Hu was due to hold trade talks with Hammond this weekend, it said. The newspaper said Hu cancelled the talks in protest at Williamson’s speech on Monday.

(The story corrects title of Hu to Vice Premier and second reference of his surname)