A visit to the UK by the Chinese Defence Minister by Chi Haotian has sparked fresh protests by human rights campaigners and those calling for a free Tibet.

The demonstrations in London are similar to the ones that surrounded Chinese President Jiang Zemin's state visit to the UK last year.

A spokeswoman for of the Campaign Against the Arms Trade described UK Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon's meeting with Mr Chi as "an extremely worrying and sinister development for all those concerned with China's human rights record".

The Chinese defence minister's arrival coincides with a call for a judicial review of the police's handling of the demonstrations against the Chinese president that took place last October.

Speaking for the Free Tibet Campaign, Alison Reynolds said the policing of the state visit had been "excessive and politically charged."

She accused the government of putting "trading issues before human rights".

'Public outrage'

Ms Reynolds added: "The police and government may have hoped that this issue would go away, but there was so much public outrage about the handling of the state visit that we had no alternative but to turn to the courts."

The Conservative Party is supporting the calls for a review of last year's police operation that they say was heavy handed as a result of government pressure.

Shadow foreign secretary John Maples said: "The Foreign Office was at the bottom of this and they were determined to make sure there were no demonstrations."

Mr Maples also accused the government of "conspiring to suppress demonstrations."

He added: "It seems to me inconceivable that the Metropolitan Police would have behaved in the way they did without some instruction from higher up."

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Paul Condon has acknowledged mistakes were made, and has said he shares the public unease.

It may several months before a decision is made on whether to hold a review.