CHINA'S Foreign Ministry on Thursday urged U.S. TV network CNN to sincerely apologize for one of its political commentator's insulting remarks about Chinese people.

"The statement issued by CNN not only failed to apologize for Jack Cafferty's remarks, which "maliciously attacked the Chinese people, but also targeted Chinese government, attempting to stir up the tension between Chinese government and Chinese people," said ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu at a press conference. "We can not accept it at all."

Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao Wednesday summoned CNN's Beijing executives to lodge a solemn representation for the TV network's failure to apologize for insulting remarks of Cafferty, which "attacked the Chinese people and seriously violated the professional ethics of journalism."

"CNN's ulterior motive in targeting the Chinese government, continuing to mislead public opinion as well as deceiving the Chinese people will never succeed," Liu said in a written statement.

China on Tuesday demanded an apology for Cafferty's comments aired April 9, when he called Chinese products "junk" and the Chinese "goons and thugs."

CNN's statement said it "would like to clarify that it was not Cafferty's, nor CNN's, intent to cause offense to the Chinese people," and would "apologize to anyone who has interpreted the comments in this way."

The network also said Cafferty was offering his "strongly held" opinion of the Chinese government, not China's people, adding that he clarified the point Monday.

The statement failed to assuage the feelings of many Chinese Internet users, who think the "apology" lacks sincerity.

The Washington-based World Chinese League, a Chinese American organization, called on Chinese people around the world to participate in the "one person one protest letter" campaign to press CNN to address the issue in appropriate ways, including taking back the anti-Chinese remarks, making a sincere apology and removing Cafferty.

Meanwhile, Xinhua published a commentary Thursday, saying CNN and Jack Cafferty need to make a sincere apology to all Chinese people because CNN's earlier statement meant for apology is vague, insufficient and insincere.

(SD-Xinhua)