Blair under fire as Jiang ends his visit

By Denis Hiault

LONDON, (AFP): Chinese President Jiang Zemin ends his state visit to Britain last Friday with both sides hailing it as a success, but British Premier Tony Blair now faces criticism over stifled human rights protests and his so-called ethical foreign policy.

Both countries welcomed warmer ties and increased trade links, while protesters attacked Blair over heavy-handed policing of the visit.

"We believe this has opened a new chapter in relations with China," Blair's spokesman said.

He said Blair had raised concerns over China's human rights record, but said Britain did not want its relations with the Asian giant defined by just one issue.

Jiang's spokesman said the visit had gone "smoothly and successfully."

He said Jiang had told Blair during an hour-long meeting last Thursday that since his government came to power, and especially after the smooth handover of Hong Kong to China in 1997, bilateral relations had improved.

British industry, too, was celebrating after clinching a package of deals with China potentially worth US$3.5 billion (3.24 billion euros).

But for the British media and human rights groups the true casualty of the visit was the right to peaceful protest.

There was a heavy police presence every step of the way -- from sightseeing in London, to state banquets, trade talks and a visit to the prestigious university at Cambridge.

At last Tuesday's official welcoming ceremony on The Mall, the tree-lined avenue leading to Buckingham Palace where Jiang stayed as guest of the queen, anyone attempting to unfurl a protest banner was pounced on by police.

Undeterred, protesters dogged Jiang daily.

The Free Tibet Campaign was the most vocal, but Taiwanese students carrying banners reading "say No to reunification with China" also tailed him, along with meditating members of the banned Falungong sect and human rights campaigners.

Police ensured most of the demonstrators were kept at a distance from the president, even resorting to parking their vans in front of them to block them from Jiang's view.

Jiang used a side entrance to reach Blair's office at Downing Street.

Jiang's spokesman dismissed the protests as "small noises on the street, just some interruptive factors."

But he added: "We have noticed that there have been a few interruptions and have taken note that Britain has taken necessary measures. But it is our view that some of these interruptive factors should have been avoided."

The media were particularly scathing.

A visit that put trade before human rights and denied free speech sat ill with the government's professed policy of operating an ethical foreign policy, newspapers said.

"As it is he (Jiang) will leave believing that suppressing demonstrators is a perfectly acceptable behavior," wrote the conservative Daily Telegraph.

The left-leaning Guardian said the action was "a blatant denial of rights," accusing the police of going too far and asking: "On whose orders?"

The Economist weekly went still further: "It makes you feel sorry for Augusto Pinochet, Chile's former dictator, trapped in Surrey while he battles against extradition to Spain. His sins were many, but they were fewer than those of Jiang," it said.

Pinochet is under house arrest in Britain facing extradition to Spain on charges of torture during his iron-fisted military rule.

Blair's spokesman denied the government was responsible for policing.

"The government does not tell the police how to manage these things," he said. "The Foreign Office liaises with the police on these issues and then it is a matter for the police."

But the argument is unlikely to cut much ice with angry activists and Blair is likely to have a lot more explaining to do.

Jiang, meanwhile, heads to France for the next stage of his six-nation tour.