The Foreign Ministry Wednesday summoned CNN's Beijing executives to lodge a solemn representation for failing to apologize for insulting remarks by one of its commentators.
Spokesman Liu Jianchao said a statement issued by CNN on Tuesday failed to apologize for Jack Cafferty's remarks, which "maliciously attacked the Chinese people and seriously violated the professional ethics of journalism".
"CNN's ulterior motive in targeting the Chinese government, continuing to mislead public opinion as well as deceiving the Chinese people will never succeed", Liu said in a written statement. "Journalists should abide by ethics, and don't have the privilege to slander or rail at anybody or any government", Liu said in the statement, noting that CNN's recent reporting programs completely went against the principles of being objective and balanced - which the network often claimed as its basic standards for news coverage.
"We once again solemnly urge CNN and Cafferty to withdraw the vile remarks and make a sincere apology to all Chinese people", Liu said.
Beijing on Tuesday demanded an apology for Cafferty's comments aired on April 9, when he called Chinese products "junk" and the Chinese "goons and thugs".
CNN's statement said it "would like to clarify that it was not Cafferty's, nor CNN's, intent to cause offense to the Chinese people", and would "apologize to anyone who has interpreted the comments in this way".