Paris, Jan. 27 (BNA) Human rights groups and a number of French deputies have vowed to protest Tuesday's address of Chinese President Hu Jintao to the French National Assembly.
The entire parliamentary delegation of the French Green Party, several opposition Socialists and at least two deputies from President Jacques Chirac's UMP party have vowed to boycott the speech. One UMP deputy, Lionnel Luca, has also said he would join human rights groups outside the National Assembly to openly protest the presence of the Chinese leader. Hu will become only the 13th foreign leader to address the National Assembly, an honour that French diplomatic sources say was requested by Chinese authorities. Late Tuesday, Chirac did his part to ingratiate himself to his guest by condemning a proposed referendum by Taiwan on whether the island should reinforce its anti-missile defense if the Beijing government does not withdraw the missiles it has pointed at Taiwan. Speaking at a dinner for Hu, Chirac said that the referendum would be "a grave error. It would carry a heavy responsibility for stability in the region". Hu responded by saying that China "greatly appreciated" Chirac's position on the referendum, which Beijing viewed as a first step toward independence of the Taiwan. Both Chirac and Hu expect the Chinese leader's four- day visit to France visit to lead to a deepening of political and economic ties between the two countries. Hu's visit comes on the fortieth anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France.