Tang Jiaxuan told Alexander Downer that the Dalai Lama should be banned from visiting Australia during talks yesterday.
Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan has called for further Australian crackdowns on the Falun Gong sect, describing the group as an evil, violence-spreading cult after meeting Foreign Minister Alexander Downer yesterday.
Over the weekend, Mr Downer agreed to Chinese requests and ordered Federal Police to curb the actions of Falun Gong protesters, camped outside the Chinese embassy in Canberra for nearly a year.
Yesterday, a spokesman for Mr Downer confirmed the action was taken to ensure Mr Tang was treated "with an appropriate level of dignity" during this week's visit, but rejected the call for further moves against the sect.
The issue overshadowed talks between Mr Downer and Mr Tang marking the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Australian and China. It is the first visit by a Chinese foreign minister in 10 years.
Human rights concerns remained a major stumbling block, with Mr Tang urging the banning of visits by the Dalai Lama and refusing to consider the release of an Australian, Wang Jianping, imprisoned in Beijing for spying.
About 100 Falun Gong supporters demonstrated outside parliament during the meeting, before marching to the Chinese embassy, where protesters complied with police orders to remove banners and stop broadcasting meditation music during Mr Tang's visit.
Mr Tang said the issue of restricting Falun Gong protesters was not a question of human rights or freedom as the sect was violent and should be punished.
"Any government of a sovereign country under the rule of law should have Falun Gong, this evil cult, punished according to law," Mr Tang said.