The float, celebrating the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, is be adorned with thousands of carnations and roses, fitted with fireworks and accompanied by 124 Chinese acrobats, dancers and plate spinners, the Los Angeles Times reported Saturday.

Critics of China's communist government hoped to use the float as a rallying point for protests, but they have failed to generate much interest from California's large Chinese American community, the Times reported.

"The majority of Chinese think the Olympics is bigger than human rights

and that human rights are already improving," said Cat Chao, host of a Chinese talk show on KAZN-AM in Los Angeles.

While some critics plan to turn their backs on the float as it passes, others say they will hand out fliers critical of China's human rights record, the Times reported.