Chinese president faces human rights protestsBuckingham Palace The president of China has arrived in London for a state visit aimed at deepening trade links with the world's most populated nation. The event takes place against the backdrop of protests by pro-Tibetan groups and human rights activists. Tony Blair and opposition leaders will meet with premier Hu Jintao during the course of the three-day visit. After today's ceremony of welcome at Horseguards the president travelled to Buckingham Palace with the Queen. Members of the Cabinet, alongside the prime minister, were at the ceremony where they met the president and his wife. During the visit Jintao also hold talks with Michael Howard and Charles Kennedy. However he will not meet with Prince Charles, who holds strong views on the future governance of Tibet. Officially the palace says the prince will be recovering from jetlag following his recent trip to the US. The prime minister yesterday denied that the Metropolitan Police will seek to disperse protests by the Free Tibet movement. Protesters have said they will attempt to dog the event. "We are planning to follow Hu Jintao wherever he goes during the visit. This will be non-violent, but we will try to be as visible as possible," said campaign director Yael Weisz-Rind. "Unlike last time, the police have promised that as long as the protests are peaceful they will not be broken up." Amnesty International has also called on the prime minister to raise human rights issues during the visit. But business leaders are keen to see Britain forging closer relations with the world's biggest emerging economic http://www.epolitix.com/EN/News/200511/614c279e-f63a-49a2-80a3-3ad1397dc8aa.htmsuperpower. Despite the summer 'bra war', which saw the EU and China reach an impasse over quotas, Britain wants to develop closer trade ties with the Chinese. However the environment and human rights remain as possible areas of conflict between London and Beijing. A meeting of the China taskforce, which is headed by John Prescott, will take place at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday. Ministers want to deepen bilateral relations with China and develop greater trade links with the country. During his visit to the palace of Westminster, the president is also set to meet members of the all-party China group. The state visit will involve an official banquet in Buckingham Palace and a visit to parliament, where the presidential party will be greeted by the speaker and lord chancellor. Last modified November 8, 2005 |