Berlusconi reiterates his anti-China remark

BEIJING: Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi reiterated a comment that China under Mao's regime used to 'boil babies', despite Beijing's protests over the remark.

"It's a historic fact. It's not me, after all, who made them boil these children," Berlusconi told reporters at the end of a political debate, in response to questions on whether he planned to withdraw the remark.China has already voiced anger at the comment.

"We are not satisfied with such remarks, which are groundless and lack any facts," the Chinese foreign ministry said in a brief faxed statement.
 
"Italian leaders' speeches should be beneficial to the development of the stability of friendly relations between China and Italy."

The Chinese embassy in Rome also put out a statement on Tuesday denouncing the comments.

 Berlusconi, campaigning for re-election in April elections and trailing in the polls, made the remarks during a rally on Sunday in reference to China under the reign of former Communist leader and People's Republic founder Mao Zedong.

"I am accused of having said that the (Chinese) Communists used to eat children," he said.

"But read 'The Black Book of Communism' and you will discover that in the China of Mao, they did not eat children, but had them boiled to fertilise the fields."