A Belgian TV journalist and his crew have been assaulted while reporting on AIDS in Central China.

Belgian journalist Tom Van de Weghe and his team from the public television network VRT were attacked on their way to interview several AIDS groups, said a statement released Friday by VRT.

It echoes an incident in the spring in which journalists from the American news program 60 Minutes were assaulted while attempting to film a plant processing toxic waste near the South China town of Shenzhen.

Van de Weghe and his crew were beaten and then robbed of their cash as well as their microphones and batteries by a dozen men recruited by authorities in Henan province, said the statement.

Beijing promised free access to foreign media reporting in China starting a year before the Olympics and recently extended the rules.

The Belgian channel is demanding an apology from Chinese authorities and payment or compensation for the damaged equipment.

VRT also wants a guarantee that its accredited correspondent could work in China without interference.

There's no response yet from Chinese authorities.