China’s commerce ministry has expressed "deep concern" over what it says are protectionist measures being adopted by a range of countries, AFP reported. "Some countries raised clauses to prioritize the purchase of products of their own countries in their economic stimulus packages," ministry spokesman Yao Jian told reporters in Beijing on Monday. Though referring to unnamed countries, Yao highlighted the "Buy American" clause in the US$787 billion US stimulus package recently passed by American lawmakers. His comments were the latest in a media offensive against the "Buy American" clause, that included a front page story in the state-run China Daily newspaper and a weekend editorial run by the official Xinhua news agency.