CHINA says it hopes the screening of a British television documentary on alleged orphanage abuses today will not have a major impact on relations.
Officials had said Channel 4 documentary Return to the Dying Rooms could 'poison the atmosphere' during Foreign Secretary Malcolm Rifkind's Beijing visit which began yesterday.
But while describing the documentary as a 'vicious attack' which could disrupt bilateral relations, Foreign Ministry spokesman Chen Jian said Beijing hoped the two countries could 'steer clear of such disruptions'.
'That would be in the best interests of both countries and the people of Hong Kong,' he said.
Diplomats in Beijing said China had been forced to make a formal protest at what it saw as an attack on its human rights record but would not make a major issue out of the incident.
'I think the Foreign Ministry realises it is not worth jeopardising relations over one television programme,' a Western diplomat said.