"The purpose of China's bid for the Olympic Games is to carry forward the spirit of Olympics and promote peace and friendship,'' Foreign Ministry Spokesman Sun Yuxi said yesterday at a regular press briefing.

"It is in blatant contradiction to Olympic principles that some US congressmen have opposed the idea of holding the 2008 Olympics in China,'' Sun said. "Their protests are a farce that will be cast aside by all the world's justice-loving people and governments.''

The spokesman also responded to British media reports that the most recent outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, which causes infectious sores on the legs and mouths of cloven-hoofed animals, can be attributed to the meat used in a Chinese restaurant in Britain that may have come from China.

The spokesman claimed there is no proof linking Chinese meat exports with the recent outbreak of the disease in Britain.

"The Chinese government has taken very strict epidemic control measures against the disease and no incidents of foot-and-mouth disease has been found inside the country,'' he said.

The spokesman told reporters China has conducted strict inspection on both imported and exported meat products and added that the Europe Union has yet to allow imports of cloven-hoofed animals and their products from China.

In talking about the Middle East, Sun said China is deeply concerned about a recent escalation of violence between Israel and the Palestinians.

"We hope the two sides will exercise restraint and avoid further escalation of conflicts, which hurt innocent people,'' he said. "Peace talks can be restored on the basis of UN resolutions and agreements reached by the two sides.''

On a related note, Sun hailed the just concluded Arab summit in Amman as "an important meeting under the new circumstances.

"The summit will promote and strengthen solidarity, co-operation and economic integrity among Arab nations and help speed up the peaceful solution of issues in the Middle East and Gulf region,'' Sun said.

(China Daily 03/30/2001)