Lusaka, May 18 (IANS): A top Chinese official has dismissed reports in Zambian media that Beijing has been selling human meat as food in Africa.

The reports quoted an unnamed Zambian woman living in China as warning people to stop buying Chinese corned beef, Xinhua news agency reported.

The woman claimed that Chinese beef companies were collecting dead human bodies, marinating them, packing them in tins labelled as corned beef and sending them to Africa.

Chinese ambassador to Zambia, Yang Youming, accused people with ulterior motives of trying to destroy the long-standing partnership between Zambia and China.

"This is completely a malicious slandering and vilification which is absolutely unacceptable to us," he said.

"We hereby express our utmost anger and the strongest condemnation over such an act," he added.

The envoy has since asked relevant government departments in Zambia to investigate the tabloid and source of the rumour in order to clear China's name.