Paris councillor criticizes hanging of Tibetan flag in front of City Hall

The Tibetan region is an integral part of China, he said. "What will you say if Chinese authorities constantly interfere in France's internal political affairs? What will you think if, for example, the Chinese government constantly tells France how to handle a crisis in its overseas territories?"

He asked the council to remove the Tibetan flag, which is a "provocation" to the Chinese.

Hours later, two people of Chinese origin arrived in front of the City Hall, and tore down the Tibetan flag in order to express their indignation toward the City Council's interference in China's internal affairs.

Destrem was pleased with the act. "I will file, in the name of myself and in the name of an elected Parisian, an anti-motion of the January 2006 one, because such useless provocations should be abolished," he said.

On March 10, 1959, the Dalai Lama and his supporters launched an armed rebellion in Tibet to block reform of the feudal serfdom there and split the region from China, but the Chinese central government swiftly foiled the attempt.

Editor:Liu Anqi