South Korea tightened security ahead of China's first appearance in the World Cup, which fell on the same day as the 13th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre.

Tuesday's game against Costa Rica in the South Korean city of Gwangju - itself the scene of violently repressed pro-democracy protests in 1980 - was being shown live on Chinese state television.

If someone flies a banner, for example, it could be seen on TV

He Depu China Democracy Party

Chinese authorities feared spectators at the match might take the opportunity to protest against the Tiananmen crackdown in a gesture which could be seen by millions of TV viewers, said He Depu, a member of the outlawed China Democracy Party.

"Not only Chinese people will be there, but people from other countries. The South Korean authorities won't be as strict as the Chinese in preventing incidents. If someone flies a banner, for example, it could be seen on TV," said Mr He.

However no protests were reported during the match, which China lost 0-2.

China is worried protests may be seen on TV

China had expressed concern about possible demonstrations but made no specific demands, a South Korean Foreign Ministry official said on Monday.

South Korean police said they would not permit even peaceful protests at the game.

"If a demonstrator is caught flying a banner, he or she will immediately be taken away for questioning or handed over to the Chinese Embassy," Byung Han-seon, a police official in Gwangju, told the Associated Press.

Some 6,000 officers were present in and around the stadium to keep the peace.

First final

In China itself, state television estimated that half a billion people - more than one in three of China's population - would watch the game which was broadcast live.

Schools and offices closed or let pupils and staff watch, almost every shop seemed to have a television tuned in and thousands crowded around giant screens erected specially to show China's first ever game in a World Cup final.

Football fever even entered the usually staid routine Tuesday news conference at the Foreign Ministry where spokesman Liu Jianchao said: "I'm very interested in football and I feel it's a great pity to have to work here today and miss the football match."

Football is avidly followed in China

The date of the game is reported to have been set by the international football federation, Fifa.

Hundreds and possibly thousands of Chinese were killed when troops and tanks moved in to end six weeks of demonstrations focused on Tiananmen Square.

The Chinese Government has never given a full account of the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

In Hong Kong, activists were preparing for the annual late-night candle-lit vigil to mark the anniversary, urging people not to forget the Tiananmen crackdown.

Hundreds of groups and individuals took out a half-page advert in the Chinese-language Ming Pao saying, "The scars will never fade, and our dignity will last forever".

But there were fears of a low turnout, given the football match and the fact that attendance has been waning each year since a peak of 150,000 participants in 1990.