Tight security is in place in Tonga for today’s ceremony marking the official closure of Parliament.

The event has been shortened this year, and was already postponed following last week's riot in the capital, Nuku'alofa.

Normally, schoolchildren parade through the capital, then sit and wait for the King to enter Parliament and deliver a speech.

A Tongan pro-democracy leader is hinting there could be trouble at the ceremony.

In his speech at the ceremony, Tonga's King Tupou the 5th is expected to talk about last week's riot in Nuku'alofa and address the question of political reform.

Dr Tavita Tui Uata, a pro democracy leader and president of the Tonga Business Association, says people are not seeking instant change, just an assurance there's a road-map for reform.

He says if they get it, there will not be any trouble at today's ceremony.

But Dr Uata will not rule out trouble if there is no progress.

Members of the New Zealand and Australian defence forces have been deployed to bolster security for today's ceremony.

Troops have also begun low-key neighbourhood patrols in an effort to calm the fears of Chinese people who were targeted during the recent violence.

However more than 200 Chinese people who are too frightened to stay in Tonga are leaving tonight on a commercial flight for Fiji, where they will be evacuated to China.

The Chinese business community was a target of a riot last week in Nuku'alofa which has destroyed much of the central business district.

Jeremy Chan, a member of Tonga's Chinese community, says those leaving will probably never return, but that is sad for them as they are naturalised Tongans.

He says most have been staying at the Chinese Embassy and last night the Tongan prime minister apologised to them for the behaviour of his countrymen.

© NewsRoom 2006