By RUTH BERRY and NZPA
Police have told Chinese officials they will not try to shield visiting President Hu Jintao from any protests as they did with his predecessor.
And Prime Minister Helen Clark says she will register New Zealand's views on human rights when she meets the president at the weekend.
Assistant Commissioner Jon White said police had learned their lesson from criticisms of their handling of protests around former President Jiang Zemin's 1999 state visit.
"We have emphasised that New Zealand is a place where people can protest provided they remain within the law.
"We'll be policing this visit according to New Zealand law and that's the bottom line."
President Hu arrives in Wellington from Canberra at 3.20pm tomorrow and will be welcomed by a 100-strong Defence Force presidential tri-service guard of honour and Governor General Dame Silvia Cartwright at Government House. During Mr Jiang's visit, noisy pro-Tibet protesters delayed a state dinner in Christchurch.
Police moved the protesters, and on several occasions, at the request of the Chinese, protesters were blocked from sight by buses.
Mr White said police had looked at that experience closely and accepted concerns raised in a subsequent select committee inquiry.
Discussions with Chinese security officials had been taking place for some time and the issue had been raised.
"The select committee said it would be useful to have early discussions to [to ensure] expectations were clear," Mr White said.
"So we have taken that advice on board.
He would not say whether the officials had made requests about protests.
"We are continuing to talk with them through issues, but there's been nothing that has been unresolvable."
In Canberra, the public was banned from the Australian Parliament while Mr Hu and American President George W. Bush were delivering addresses there.
Organisers of an anti-war protest were also banned from using a public address system in Parliament grounds.
President Hu will not visit the New Zealand Parliament, but Mr White said police had no plans to silence any protesters or put shields, such as buses, between them and the president.
Cordoned off areas would be provided for protesters outside places such as Government House.
Helen Clark's pledge to raise human rights during her meeting with Mr Hu came after Green MP Keith Locke said yesterday the Government should not allow its eagerness for trade deals to soften criticism of China's "very bad human rights record".
"Last year, China executed more than 4000 people - more than the total number of executions for every other country in the world combined," Mr Locke said.
Thousands of its people were in prisons and forced labour camps for no greater "crime" than holding religious or political views that differed from those of China's Government.
Mr Locke said Helen Clark should also push President Hu to talk to the Dalai Lama over self-determination for Tibet.
Green MP Metiria Turei and other Greens plan to take part in silent protests organised by the Friends of Tibet during the president's visit to Auckland this weekend.
A spokeswoman for Helen Clark said she had met Chinese leaders before, and had always registered New Zealand's views on human rights issues.
"She expects to do so again," the spokeswoman said.
President Hu will visit Auckland, Wellington and Hamilton during his three-day visit over Labour Weekend.
China leader told: Protests are allowed
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