An investigation is in progress into an incident in which three Belgian journalists scuffled with villagers in central China's AIDS zone on Nov. 27, a provincial government spokesman said on Tuesday.

The journalists from the Beijing branch of the Belgian Vlaamse Radio-en Televiaieomroep (Flemish Radio and Television Network) got into a conflict with villagers and officials in Shangqiu City, Henan Province, three days before World AIDS Day, said Wang Yuejin, spokesman of the foreign affairs bureau of the provincial government.

The provincial government appointed an investigation team on Tuesday, and the team headed for Shangqiu, Wang said.

The three journalists, all male, including a journalist named Tom Van de Weghe, a cameraman and an interpreter, arrived at Gangwang Village, Zhecheng County in Shangqiu City on Nov. 27, Wang said.

The journalists left the village because it was busy electing its new officials, and they headed for Zhoukou City, Wang said.

They returned to the Village at 4:30 p.m. for an interview, which was refused by villagers, and left again. They were followed by four AIDS patients and four local officials as they headed toward another county, Wang said.

The villagers surrounded Van de Weghe's car in Suixian County, demanding tapes and memory cards and saying that the reports might affect their public image, Wang said,

Van de Weghe rejected the demands and the conflict turned physical. Wang said the villagers seized the tapes, cards and other item.

The case was still under investigation, Wang said.

(Xinhua News Agency December 2, 2008)