French ‘spiderman’ climbs Hong Kong tower, hoists reconciliation flag amid mass protests

French "spiderman" climber Alain Robert scaled a 68-storey skyscraper in Hong Kong on Friday to hoist a flag symbolising reconciliation between China and the territory as weeks of escalating pro-democracy protests show no signs of abating.

Using his bare hands and without a harness, Robert clambered up Cheung Kong Centre located in the central business district and secured a large banner on the building's exterior.

The 57-year-old adventurer, who specialises in unsanctioned ascents of tall buildings, shimmied up the 68-storey Cheung Kong Centre in Hong Kong's main business district in hot and humid conditions on Friday morning.

A woman takes a photo of Cheung kong centre building in which Alain Robert hung a large fabric displaying Chinese and Hong Kong flags. AP

During the climb he attached a banner featuring the Hong Kong and Chinese flags, as well as two hands shaking. Prior to the ascent Robert put out a statement saying the message of his climb was to make "an urgent appeal for peace and consultation between Hong Kong people and their government." "Perhaps what I do can lower the temperature and maybe raise a smile. That's my hope anyway," Robert said in his media statement. But many were unimpressed.

"Do you really want (to) shake hands with butchers and dictators," tweeted Australia-based Chinese dissident artist Badiucao. "This shows many foreigners don't understand the underlying issue between Hong Kong and China," a user wrote on a popular forum. Hong Kong has been battered by 10 weeks of huge — sometimes violent — democracy protests.

Robert's climb comes as more mass demonstrations are expected through the weekend. China has likened the protests to terrorism and warned it could use force to quell them, as US President Donald Trump urged President Xi Jinping to meet with protesters to defuse weeks of tension.

Alain Robert climbs the Cheung Kong Centre building in Hong Kong on Friday. AFP

It was the third time Robert climbed the Centre, which is owned by Cheung Kong Holdings. He was banned from climbing buildings in the former British colony for a year last August. His ban ended two weeks ago.

Dressed in bright hues of purple, pink and green, Robert was arrested after the climb and taken to a nearby police station.

He often climbs without permission and has been arrested several times, sometimes for trespassing.

People watch as Alain Robert climbs the Cheung Kong Centre building in Hong Kong. AFP 

Li Ka Shing, whose family owns the Cheung Kong Centre, published a series of advertisements in Hong Kong's major newspapers on Friday urging people to stop the violence.

Ten weeks of confrontations between police and protesters have plunged Hong Kong into its worst crisis since it reverted from British to Chinese rule in 1997, and have presented the biggest popular challenge to Chinese President Xi Jingping since he came to power in 2012.

The protests began in opposition to a now-suspended bill that would have allowed the extradition of suspects for trial in mainland China, but have swelled into wider calls for democracy.

More than 700 people have been arrested since the protests began in June, and tear gas has frequently been used by police in attempts to disperse protests across the city.

Agencies