Foreign and Military Affairs
Liu Xiaobo's Nobel Peace Prize could harm China-Norway ties
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-10-08 19:22
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BEIJING - Awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to China's Liu Xiaobo desecrated the prize and could harm China-Norway ties, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu on Friday.
Ma made the remarks in a press release after he was asked to comment on the award, which was announced earlier in Oslo, Norway.
Liu was sentenced to 11 years in jail on December 25, 2009 after a local court in Beijing convicted him of agitation aimed at subverting the government.
The Nobel Peace Prize should be awarded to people who contribute to national harmony, country-to-country friendship, advancing disarmament, and convening and propagandizing peace conferences, Ma said.
He claimed this was the wish of Alfred Nobel, founder of the Nobel Prizes.
Ma said Liu was a criminal sentenced by the Chinese judicial authorities for violating Chinese law.
"What he has done is contrary to the purpose of the Nobel Peace Prize," he said.
The Nobel committee's decision to award such a person the peace prize ran contrary to and desecrated the prize, he said.
China and Norway had enjoyed sound development of bilateral ties in recent years. Ma said this was conducive to the fundamental interests of the two nations and their peoples.
Awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to Liu might harm China-Norway ties, Ma said.
