Gordon Brown finally arrived in Beijing today after beginning what he hopes will be his political comeback with a stopover in Afghanistan on his way to the Olympics.

The Prime Minister is attending the final days of the Games - including the handover to London for the 2012 Olympics in the closing ceremony on Sunday.

He has also promised to raise the issue of human rights in China and had a meeting straight from the airport with President Hu Jintao.Laster he will meet and prime minister Wen Jiabao .

But while Mr Brown has said he wants to see an extension of the limited civil liberties opened up during the Games, he has rejected all calls for boycotts, insisting that the way forward is through "engagement" with China's Communist rulers.

The Prime Minister is also planning to use his visit to look at ways of ensuring that the UK's medal-haul in Beijing is not a one-off and that Britain's athletes can build on their success in 2012.

He will be attending a reception for some of Britain's up-and-coming 2012 hopefuls as well as some of the remaining events where Team GB is hoping for a place in the medals.

Mr Brown is travelling to Beijing with his wife Sarah, and their two young sons, John, four, and Fraser, two, who were also said to be excited at the prospect of seeing some of the Olympic action.

He has, however, struggled to put his domestic political troubles behind him.

During a stopover on yesterday in Afghanistan, he faced repeated questions at a joint press conference with President Hamid Karzai over whether his own position was under threat.

At his meeting with Mr Hu, Mr Brown praised the "spectacular success" of the Beijing games.

"With the whole world watching, the Olympic Games have captured the imagination of the whole global community," he said.

"The 2008 Beijing Olympics have set a new standard for the Olympic Games which we in London in 2012 will seek to follow."

Mr Hu in turn expressed his appreciation for the welcome given to the Olympic torch by the Prime Minster when it passed through London.

"When the torch of the Beijing Games ran in London you personally welcomed it and also expressed support for Beijing for which we would like to express our appreciation and gratitude," he said.