Beijing: China today (Jan 29, 2004) rejected as "groundless" allegations that it was the source of the virulent bird flu outbreak that is wrecking havoc in neighbouring countries in the Asia-Pacific region and announced ban on import and export of poultry products from affected nations.

"We believe that such an allegation is totally inaccurate and groundless, and doesn't respect science," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said.

Earlier, China announced that it has stopped the export of poultry and related products from bird flu-hit provinces and banned the import of similar items from eight countries, including Pakistan, to prevent the further spread of the deadly disease.

The H5N1 virus was on Jan 27 confirmed as the cause of duck deaths in South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. Unlike Thailand and Vietnam, so far no infection in human beings has been found in China.

Soon after the duck death was reported, the local Government killed 14,000 poultry in a three-km area around the duck farm, and vaccinated all poultry within five kilometres from the duck farm. It has isolated the area following the death report.

Separately, in Wuxue city in Central China's Hubei province, poultry farmers were warned against the spread of the possible epidemic.