Beijing condemns Nepal 'Maoists'

China communist leaders gave a stern dressing down to Nepal's Maoist rebels, accusing them of "stealing" the name of former Chinese leader Mao Zedong. In a statement Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan said the Nepalese group had "no relationship with China" and was "totally unrelated to Mao Zedong." He added that the government felt "indignation at the connection between their own ideas and Mao Zedong Thought." The comments are not the first time Chinese officials have sought to distance themselves from the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) – a group which claims it is leading a "people's war" against the Nepalese monarchy.