Beijing yesterday demanded that CNN apologize for insulting remarks made by one of its commentators against China and the Chinese people.

"We are shocked at, and strongly condemn, the vicious remarks made by CNN commentator Jack Cafferty against the Chinese people," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu told a regular news conference.

"We solemnly demand that CNN and Cafferty retract his vicious remarks and apologize to the whole Chinese people," Jiang said.

In a program, The Situation Room, telecast on April 9 when the Olympic torch relay was being held in San Francisco, Cafferty made a slew of racist and vitriolic remarks against the Chinese people.

He said the US imported Chinese-made "junk with lead paint on them and poisoned pet food".

"They're basically the same bunch of goons and thugs they've been for the last 50 years," he said.

Jiang said Cafferty, by slandering China and the Chinese people, has "seriously violated journalistic ethics and gone against the conscience of a normal human being, which reflects his arrogance, ignorance and hostility".

His words have sparked indignation and anger among Chinese around the world; and drawn condemnation from all people around the globe who uphold justice, Jiang added.

Cafferty said late on Monday on the same program that his comments referred to the Chinese government, not Chinese people or Chinese-Americans, according to the CNN website.

The Legal Immigrant Association (LIA), a leading US immigrant organization mainly comprising people from China, submitted an open letter to CNN, urging it to "take immediate action" against Cafferty.