France/China

Anti-French protests hit businesses, embassy

Article published on the 2008-04-19 Latest update 2008-12-12 17:29 TU

Chinese protesters hold "Tibet is a part of China" banner outside French Embassy in Beijing.
(Photo : Reuters)

Demonstrations against France hit several Chinese cities on Saturday, protesting against the perceived French attitude to Beijing's policy in Tibet and the Olympic Games being held in Beijing this summe. The protests targeted French businesses and office buildings, including supermarkets, as well as the French Embassy and French School in Beijing.

In the central city of Wuhan, a witness described a group of 300 protesters outside one of the branches of Carrefour, a French supermarket chain. The witness said the group had dispersed by noon.

Some unconfirmed reports indicate the crowd swelled to some 10,000 people, holding French flags, including one with a swastika painted on it.

People chanted "Oppose Tibet independence" and "Boycott Carrefour" according to Xinhua, the state-run news agency. Some believe that the supermarket chain supports Tibet, which Carrefour denies.

Some 60 French firms are located in Wuhan.

Other protests were reportedly held in Hefei and Qingdao, in eastern China,  in southeastern Kunming City and in Shenzhen in the south.

Anti-French sentiment has risen in the country since the torch relay debacle in Paris earlier this month, when pro-Tibet protesters tried to grab the Olympic torch.

Protesters were calling for China to grant independence to Tibet-- which China annexed in 1959.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has said he might not attend the Olympic opening ceremony if Beijing fails to open dialogue with the Dalai Lama.

Other world leaders, including UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon have bowed out, claiming scheduling difficulties.