Chinese pop idol upstages mayor's Brit promotion

Supergirl winner Li Yuchun upstaged the mayor of London after hundreds of screaming fans showed up uninvited to a performance to promote British culture.

About 200 fans - some from as far as Hong Kong and Australia - waited outside the venue for hours to hear Li, last year's winner of the mainland's version of Britain's Pop Idol singing competition.

She was one of a handful of Chinese acts at London Fusion, a multi-arts performance hosted by London Mayor Ken Livingstone in Shanghai on Thursday night.

But Li drew the biggest applause singing an original song, Give Me Five, as the closing act of the two-hour performance, which included British pop group Girls Aloud and the English National Ballet.

'We don't care about London. We're coming to see Li Yuchun,' said a female high school student.

Some held a banner saying 'Shanghai fans are waiting for you' and Li's name in lights. They chanted: 'We are always with you. You are the most precious.'