Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu said on Tuesday China strongly condemns the disruption of the Beijing Olympic torch relay in London and Paris by "Tibet independence" secessionists.

Jiang made the remarks when commenting on the attempts by a handful of Tibetan separatists in London and Paris to disrupt the Beijing Olympic torch relay on April 6 and 7.

She said the Beijing Olympic Games is a shared sports event for people worldwide and the Olympic torch is for people around the globe, adding that warmly welcomed by the British and French public, the Olympic torch relay was completed safely in London and Paris.

"We express our strong condemnation to the deliberate disruption of the Olympic torch relay by 'Tibetan independence' separatist forces regardless of the Olympic spirit and the law of Britain and France. Their despicable activities tarnish the lofty Olympic spirit and challenge all the people loving the Olympic Games around the world," said Jiang.

She said China is convinced that nobody can impede the Olympic spirit and the concept of "peace, friendship and progress" represented by the Olympic torch.

(Xinhua News Agency April 8, 2008)