Paul McCartneys views on the Chinese in 2005

Sir Paul McCartney says he will never perform in China after watching a secretly taped film (see Video and report from Swiss Animal Protection - very graphic) of animals being abused and killed for their fur. In one scene, shot in a fur market in Guangzhou, southern China, and due to be broadcast on the BBC's Six O'Clock News last night, workers throw cats into boiling water. The film was watched by Sir Paul and his wife, Heather, at a preview screening.

Sir Paul said yesterday: "I wouldn't dream of going over there to play, in the same way I wouldn't go to a country that supported apartheid. This is just disgusting. It's against every rule of humanity."

"My message to President Hu Jintao: When I watched this video 2 days ago I was horrified and have been haunted ever since. You can tell in the video these people enjoy tormenting animals; what kind of people are you? Our treatment of animals shows the true nature of the person that you are and culture is not a boundary for this. We are all humans and the people in your country need to get with the 21st century as they live and act like barbarians and will one day have to answer for their cruelty to animals and children in slave labor. If you are poor then don't have kids, simple as that, why you continue to bring more people into your population if you have to resort to animal and child abuse and cruelty. We don't want your fur trimmed clothing and your cheap trinkets. Look deep into your heart and soul and do the right thing and become civilized people."