CNN, a prominent TV news network of the US, has clarified that it meant no offence when one of its commentators remarked recently that the Chinese were ‘goons’ and that the products made by them was ‘junk’. These controversial remarks on China were made by Jack Cafferty in the initials days of April on CNN's politics-themed TV show, The Situation Room. It consequently irked China very much and prompted it to ask for an apology.

 

Following the controversial remarks made by the CNN commentator, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu criticized it as an ‘evil attack’ by CNN on the Chinese people. Jiang Yu pointed out that Cafferty used the microphone in his hand to insult China and its people and thereby, had acutely violated reporting ethics.

 

The CNN, on the other hand, stated that it was neither Mr. Cafferty's nor CNN's intention to cause offence to the Chinese people. Adding, it said CNN will make an apology to anyone who has interpreted the comments in this manner. CNN further added that Cafferty was only giving his ‘strongly held’ opinion of the Chinese government, not China's people.

 

Cafferty, infact, had said that the United States imported Chinese-made junk with the lead paint on them and the poisoned pet food. Adding, the CNN commentator said that they are basically the same bunch of goons and thugs they've been for the last 50 years. China had come under global scrutiny as a result of a series of food and product health scares the previous year. China, however, had refuted the claims saying majority of its products are safe and that the Western media was just over-hyping the issue.