French presidential candidate Segolene Royal tentatively addressed the issue of human rights in China with journalists yesterday, on a visit aimed at bolstering her international credentials.

Socialist Royal, bidding to become France's first woman president this spring, has little foreign policy experience and her trip to China follows a Middle East trip marred by gaffes.

Speaking to reporters in Beijing, Ms Royal, often criticised for relying on image and being vague on detail, said human rights were a sensitive issue in China, and had to be seen in the context of economic, environmental and social questions.

"(These) problems are shared by the entire world," Ms Royal said on a trip to the world's fourth largest economy.

Ms Royal said she hoped China would apply the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, but did not say whether she would bring up the rights issue in a meeting with Vice President Zeng Qinghong today.

"(Lawyers and journalists) who participate in the defence of rights must be protected," she said, without giving details.

Ms Royal is neck-and-neck with conservative Nicolas Sarkozy for the two-round presidential election in April and May. A weekend Ifop poll put Ms Royal on 50.5 per cent and Mr Sarkozy 49.5 per cent.

Before she left for China, where she was due to meet officials, women's groups and business leaders, Ms Royal said she wanted to go there to listen and "not to give lessons".

China's human rights record and its growing economic weight have stirred some unease among French voters, with an inflow of Chinese textiles adding to competition, and some workers fearing they could lose their jobs to cheaper Chinese workers.

Media-watchdog Reporters Without Borders called on Ms Royal to request the release of imprisoned journalists and Internet users during her trip, saying at least 32 journalists and 50 cyber-dissidents were in prison in China.

It is Ms Royal's second major foreign trip since winning the Socialists' presidential ticket in November.