Germany has countered China's criticism of a meeting yesterday between the German Foreign Minister, Joschka Fischer, and the exiled Chinese dissident Wei Jingsheng.

A German government spokesman said it was part of his country's policy to have contacts with human rights activists and dissidents.

Earlier the Chinese authorities said Mr Wei was not a champion of democracy, but a criminal who called for the violent overthrow of the government.

Mr Wei was deported to the United States a year ago after eighteen years in a Chinese jail.