BEIJING - China rejected US criticism of its sentencing of an American geologist for spying and collecting state secrets on Monday.

"The case is China's internal affair. Other countries cannot interfere with it and China's judicial sovereignty," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang on Tuesday.

Stressing judicial independency, the United States called for Xue Feng's immediate release and deportation to the US on Monday after the 44-year-old was sentenced to eight years in jail.