Britain's Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson delivers a keynote speech at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) in London, Britain, February 11, 2019. REUTERS/Toby Melville

LONDON (Reuters) - Chinese Vice Premier Hu Chunhua has canceled trade talks with Britain’s finance minister Philip Hammond after defense 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 canceled the talks in protest at Williamson’s speech on Monday.

(This version of the story corrects title of Hu to Vice Premier and second reference of his surname)