Taipei - Hundreds of anti-China protesters clashed with riot police Wednesday evening trying to prevent Chinese envoy Chen Yunlin from leaving a Taipei hotel where he was attending a banquet.

The protest by members and supporters of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) began at about 4:30 pm (9:30 GMT) and continued until after dark around the Regent Hotel on the Chunghsan South Road.

The relatively orderly protest turned violent after night fell as the protesters, assuming the banquet had ended, tried to block Chen's limousine from leaving the hotel.

Not knowing which car carried Chen, protestors blocked every entrance of the five-star hotel and tried to prevent every car from leaving the hotel's basement car park.

Cable TV channel ETTV showed some protesters hitting the windows of departing cars, prodding them with Taiwan national flags or pelting them with eggs.

One policeman collapsed after he was hit on the back of his head by a protester's club. A female Chinese TV reporter covering Chen's visit was surrounded and threatened by fist-waving protesters, but was rescued by police who pushed her into a police car.

The protesters held up banners with the words "Taiwan People Unite!" and "No Dealings with Bandits!," referring to the Chinese Communists, who were referred to as Communist bandits by Taiwan during the Cold War period.

It is not clear if or how Chen left the Regent Hotel to return to the Grand Hotel where he and his 60-member Chinese delegation are staying.

Chen arrived Monday for four days of talks with Taiwan's negotiator Chiang Ping-kun, becoming the highest-level Chinese official to visit Taiwan in 6 decades.

On Tuesday, Chen and Chiang signed four pacts on a direct sea link, daily charter flights, direct postal services and food safety.

While President Ma Ying-jeou is seeking reconciliation and closer trade ties with China, the DPP blames Ma for moving too close to China and endangering Taiwan's interests.

Organized and individual protests have followed Chen at every step of his path toward China, with more planned for Thursday afternoon when President Ma meets Chen at the Taipei Guest House.

The DPP plans to mobilize thousands of members and supporters to besiege the Taipei Guest House to voice protest against China's "bullying" of Taiwan. Their tactics are expected to include tying yellow ribbons on trees, throwing eggs at Chen and setting off balloons and firecrackers.

Since his arrival, Chen has annoyed DPP members and many ordinary Taiwanese because he refused to address Taiwan officials by their titles.

Taiwan has expressed the wish that Chen address President Ma as "President Ma" during their meeting Thursday, to show Beijing's respect for Taipei as an equal partner. But the Taiwan public are sure to be disappointed.

On Tuesday, addressing Lai Shin-yuan, chairwoman of the Mainland Affairs Council, Chen used the informal "Ni" or "You" - not even bothering to use the more courteous "Nin." (dpa)