China on Thursday expressed its concern over Israel's declaration of the Gaza Strip as an "enemy entity."

"We believe it would intensify tense in the Gaza Strip and further affect the humanitarian situation in the region," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu told a regular press conference.

Israel declared the Gaza Strip an "enemy entity" on Wednesday and said it would reduce its fuel and power supplies to the Hamas-run territory in response to rocket attacks by Palestinian militants.

As for a car bomb attack on Wednesday in Beirut, capital of Lebanon, Jiang said "We condemn the explosion, and we sincerely hope that all relevant parties of Lebanon will realize reconciliation through dialogue and consultation, to resume stability and development in Lebanon."

The explosion killed Antoine Ghanem, the Lebanese Christian lawmaker, earlier on Wednesday along with at least four others and injured more than 30.

Jiang also announced that at the invitation of Premier Wen Jiabao, Prime Minister of the Cook Islands Jim Marurai will pay an official visit to China from September 24 to 30.

The Cook Islands are part of the Realm of New Zealand, but since 1965 the 15 islands that make up the South Pacific state have been self-governing in free association with New Zealand.

(Xinhua News Agency September 21, 2007)