PARIS - The Chinese Prime Minister, Mr Li Peng, met French officials yesterday in preparation for the signing of $2 billion in business deals while demonstrators marched in the French capital in protest at Beijing's human rights record.
As a formal signing ceremony neared, about 1,000 protesters set out from Square towards the Chinese embassy waving banners including "Freedom for China and Tibet" and "No to against Taiwan". The march was orderly but police were barring protesters from getting within shouting distance of Beijing's mission.