A Hong Kong based human rights group says two Chinese dissidents have been detained by the authorities in the eastern city of Qingdao.

The group the Information Centre of Human Rights and Democratic Movement says the police arrested Li Xielin and Yan Peng on Wednesday evening.

The group says Mr Li was accused of plotting to overthrow the government, but police did not explain why Mr Yan was detained.

Both men were involved in the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests.

Correspondents say that the authorities step their action against dissidents every year in the run up to the Tiananmen anniversary at the beginning of June.