Britain, US still at odds over lifting China's arms embargo

"We want to ensure (along with EU partners) that the justifiable anxieties of the United States are factored into any decisions that we take," Straw said at a joint press conference in London.

Rice, making her first visit as the top US diplomat, said the two had not broached the issue on Friday but remained opposed.

As with any disagreement between allies, she said, the governments would work to "find a way to talk about them openly".

Britain has backed an EU initiative to lift the 15-year-long embargo, which was imposed in the wake of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.

In December, European Union leaders declared their "political will" to lift the arms embargo on China, while also stressing that Beijing must respect human rights and regional stability.