Premier Li Peng's visit to France will take ties to new heights and boost Sino-European Union co-operation, Xinhua (the New China News Agency) said yesterday.
But its commentaries made no mention of the looming protests that will await Mr Li when he arrives in France on Wednesday nor of a motion to be tabled by the EU to the UN Human Rights Commissioner on China's human rights record.
Instead, the agency claimed the tour would inject 'fresh vitality' to Sino-French relations and expand China-EU co-operation.
Chinese dissidents in exile and rights activists have vowed to follow Mr Li everywhere in France.
It was earlier reported that Mr Li had altered his schedule to avoid encountering demonstrators.
The EU motion will put China's human rights record under the spotlight again although Beijing is believed to have secured enough votes to block its passage.
Xinhua said Mr Li's visit to France would be reminiscent of General Charles de Gaulle's era.