Dozens of French MPs led a protest against human rights...

Dozens of French MPs led a protest against human rights in China by boycotting the Chinese president's address to the French parliament. President Hu Jintao was given the rare honour of addressing parliament during a state visit aimed at boosting trade and other ties. But human rights activists said the red-carpet welcome was inappropriate. One MP stood in parliament during the speech wearing a white gag, while others joined street protests in Paris. Associated Press said about half of France's 577 MPs, including socialists, greens and members from [French President Jacques] Chirac's conservative party, did not attend the speech. Hundreds of followers of Falun Gong, a spiritual movement banned in China, protested outside the Chinese consulate. Police stopped a protest at the Eiffel Tower by a group of about 30 activists from the media organisation Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF) who had been planning to release red balloons carrying portraits of imprisoned Chinese dissidents. Vincent Brossel, from RSF, said it had been very difficult to demonstrate against Hu's visit. "We obviously want to denounce the fact that journalists and web users are detained in jail for a very long time just because of criticising the authorities and denouncing corruption," he said. Chirac and Hu signed a joint declaration calling, among other things, for human rights to be protected. Hu made a veiled reference to the protests in his speech to parliament, saying the UN International Covenant on Civic and Political Rights would be put to the Chinese National People's Congress for ratification once all conditions were in place.