L'Oreal suspends all business travel to Hong Kong

The world's top cosmetics group L'Oreal said on Tuesday it was suspending all business travel to Hong Kong due to street demonstrations that have paralysed parts of the city.

The company will be putting in place "a ban on business travel to Hong Kong until October 6," spokeswoman Stephanie Carson-Parker told AFP.

L'Oreal has a subsidiary based in Hong Kong, which is an important Asian hub for luxury goods.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said Paris was closely following the situation in Hong Kong and called for a "peaceful dialogue" between the authorities and the pro-democracy protesters.

"We hope that a constructive and peace dialogue will allow for an agreement that conforms to the fundamental law of Hong Kong," Fabius said.

France at the same time has advised travellers to the area to exercise caution and "avoid gatherings".

Since the weekend, thousands of protesters in Hong Kong have refused to budge until China grants the democratic reforms promised when Beijing took back control of the former British colony in 1997.