Update | Beijing condemns Nasa ban on Chinese as 'discrimination'
Beijing blasts decision by space agency to bar Chinese from forum as US congressman who helped to draw up legal restrictions adds his criticism
Beijing has criticised the US space agency Nasa for what it termed "discriminative action" over a decision to bar Chinese representatives from a science conference in the United States.
The agency has announced that Chinese nationals will not be permitted to enter the Second Kepler Science Conference on exoplanets at California's Ames Research Centre next month.
We find the consequences of this law deplorable and strongly object to banning our Chinese colleagues, or colleagues from any nation
The decision sparked criticism and a boycott of the conference by some prominent US astronomers.
It also led the US congressman who wrote the law on which the restriction was based to criticise Nasa. In Beijing, foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said she was aware of reports on Nasa's decision.
"At the same time I have also noticed that the discriminative action by Nasa has also met opposition" in the United States, she added.
"We think that these academic meetings should not be politicised."
The restriction is based on a law passed in 2011 and signed by Barack Obama that prevents Nasa funds from being used to collaborate with China or to host Chinese visitors at US space agency facilities.
