The Chinese government attaches great importance to food safety and never provided expired food to tsunami-hit countries, said Ministry of Commerce spokesperson Chong Quan yesterday.
Chong said some Indonesian media recently reported that food China provided to tsunami-affected areas in Indonesia had "expired" or was "inedible."
The media also aired a close-up shot of the date "2004.12.10" on a food package.
According to China's Law on Production Quality and Law on Food Hygiene, food packages must mark the production date and safe consumption period.
The production dates on food aid donated by China are legal according to Chinese law, Chong said.
According to Chong, the rumor was spread by individuals with ulterior motives, who took advantage of the difference in food packaging between China and other countries. The tsunami-affected people can not recognize Chinese characters, Chong added.
The purpose was to cause trouble and mislead Indonesians. It is very evil, Chong said.
Meanwhile, donations from Chinese people amounted to 280 million yuan (US$33 million) through Saturday, sources with the Ministry of Civil Affairs said.
The China Charity Federation sent US$6.65 million in non-governmental donations on Saturday to 11 tsunami-stricken countries.
Meanwhile, a Chinese cargo plane carrying 50 tons of relief goods landed at Medan airport, North Sumatra, on Saturday. The relief goods, mainly medicine, generators and tents, were worth 7.5 million yuan.
A third batch of Chinese relief aid to Sri Lanka arrived the same day.