BEIJING, January 15 (RIA Novosti) - China's first gay beauty pageant, Mr. Gay Chinà, was stopped by police on Friday five minutes before it was due to begin.

A group of police wearing civilian clothes entered the luxury LAN nightclub in downtown Beijing and demanded that the administration cancel the event. Several minutes later, guests were asked to leave the club.

"To be honest, we expected it, taking into consideration the cautious attitude towards sexual minorities in China," a contestant told RIA Novosti.

The purpose of the event, which attracted huge media attention both in China and abroad, was to choose a Chinese contender for the worldwide gay beauty pageant due in Norway next month.

Homosexuality was illegal in China until 1997. In 2001 it was removed from the list of mental illnesses, but is still frowned upon. During the Beijing Olympics, authorities temporary shut down all popular gay and lesbian venues.

According to various estimates, there are between 36 to 48 million homosexuals in China.