China denies 'economic spying' on US

BEIJING: China on Monday refuted allegations of "economic spying" on the US, urging Washington not to meddle in the country's internal affairs.

"China sternly opposes the report and has lodged strong representations to the US side," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said while dismissing the American Congressional advisory panel report as a "smeared" campaign against Beijing.

The Commission had asked lawmakers to consider financing counter-intelligence efforts to stop China from "stealing" US manufacturing expertise and accused it of "unfair" trade practices, including currency manipulation and illegal subsidies for Chinese exports.

Liu said the commission ignored China's progress and development in politics, economic, social affairs and other causes and "stuck to bias".

They intended to set obstacles for the China-US cooperation in extensive fields by misleading the public, Liu said, warning that "such a plot is doomed to fail", according to Xinhua news agency.

The annual report is presented to the US Congress recently by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission.