The White House says President Clinton was sticking to plans to participate in an official welcoming ceremony at Tianamen Square during a trip to China this month despite protests from prodemocracy supporters.

A White House spokesman Mike McCurry said President Clinton would follow official protocol by attending the ceremony on June the 27th in the Great Hall of the People on the edge of the square.

Mr Clinton will be the first American President to go to Beijing since the suppression by Chinese troops of pro-democracy demonstrators at Tianamen Square nine years ago; hundreds were killed during the unrest and many student leaders imprisoned.

In Washington, a group of Chinese dissidents including Harry Wu, Wei Jinsheng and Wang Dan urged President Clinton to cancel his visit to China.