The ban on Peking Duck has angered many Chinese cooks in the UK because many restaurants in London, including some in the famous Chinatown district, have lost business, the Daily Mail said. And scores of others could suffer the same fate.

The newspaper quoted celebrity chef Ken Hom as saying: "It's absurd. What do the Europeans know about making Peking Duck?"

Victor Hor, front manager of Phoenix Palace in Marylebone, central London, was quoted as saying: "It has tied our hands but there's nothing we can do about it, except make an apology for a mistake we didn't make."

Prime Minister Gordon Brown, his predecessor Tony Blair and his wife Cherie are among the high-profile clientele of Phoenix Palace.

Chinese living in the UK said the ban was a kind of "cultural discrimination".

"Peking Duck represents Chinese culture," Ge Nan, a Chinese living in the UK for more than eight years, said over the phone. "What would the Britons think if fish and chips were banned somewhere in the world."

Mu Dongliang, of the World Association of Chinese Cuisine, said: "No matter what happens, I don't think Peking Duck will lose its international market. Traditional Peking Duck is delicious and healthy food."

(China Daily July 22, 2008)