Chinese foreign minister angry at protest for president

12.45pm

An angry Chinese foreign minister did his best to protect his president from a noisy protest minutes before the presidential party arrived at Auckland War Memorial Museum today.

Foreign minister Li Zhaoxing was clearly upset at the protesters being so close to the steps of the museum where Chinese President Hu Jintao and Madam Liu Yongqing were due to view the Maori displays.

Mr Li approached media waiting on the steps, demanding to know who was in charge and said he was due to meet Prime Minister Helen Clark.

A Chinese reporter later said Mr Li was angry that the protesters, who were about 40m away, were so close.

She was asked how close they were allowed in China.

"China? No protest. This is a different country," the reporter said, referring to New Zealand.

Minutes later Helen Clark arrived and was greeted by Mr Li who carefully pointed her in the direction of about 400 pro-Chinese supporters.

Helen Clark and Mr Li waved at the supporters, many carrying large Chinese flags, but they ignored about 30 protesters calling for China to end its occupation of Tibet and free the country, and about 100 Taiwanese saying Taiwan did not need nuclear missiles pointed at it.

Helen Clark and Mr Li chatted for a few minutes in front of the museum before President Hu arrived and the wave to the crowd of Chinese supporters was repeated, with the Taiwanese and Tibetans again being ignored.

President Hu's car was partially screened from the protesters by police cars which stopped between the presidential motorcade and the protesters.

However, President Hu's arrival drew a noisy response from the supporters who chanted "One China" and the other two protest groups who chanted "Free Tibet' and "Taiwan".

Security was tight for President Hu's arrival and a large contingent of New Zealand and Chinese media were allowed to view the proceedings only from fixed vantage points.

One Chinese reporter was warned by a Department of Internal Affairs official that if she tried to ask a question she would not be allowed into any more functions until President Hu left Auckland for Australia later today.

Armed police were at the museum before the presidential party arrived and a police special tactics group car was immediately in front of the president's car.

The visit to the museum was notable for the absence of protests from the Falun Gong movement -- a spiritual group from Taiwan.

The Falun Gong is believed to consider President Hu to be a moderate who may make progress in human rights issues in China and it was believed it was for that reason they did not protest at the museum.

The Falun Gong has been labelled an "evil cult" by Beijing and has been banned since 1999. Falun Gong has claimed more than 1600 members have been killed by Chinese authorities.

The Chinese government, however, has blamed Falun Gong for the deaths of 1900 people, most of whom it said committed suicide or died after refusing medical care.

China has jailed scores of Falun Gong leaders and supporters.

As President Hu and the official party left the museum he was given more vocal support from the 400 Chinese supporters. He again turned to the supporters and waved.

The motorcade took him to Mangere where he visited the Virionyx Corporation to view high-tech pharmaceutical developments.

Later in the day he was scheduled to meet National Party leader Bill English.

He was also understood to be meeting with several business people who had significant business dealings with China although the meeting was not on his official agenda.

- NZPA