China has strenuously denied reports that it's routinely canning human flesh and selling it as food to African nations.

A top official has dismissed reports in Zambia which queried the provenance of some 'meat products' being shipped from China to the African continent.

In the media reports, an unnamed Zambian woman living in China reportedly issued warnings to Africans not to eat corned beef.

She claimed that dead human bodies were being collected and marinated before being canned and labelled as corned beef for human consumption .

Chinese officials have demanded an investigation into the reports it claims are baseless

But the statement, issued by the Chinese Ambassador to Zambia, Yang Youming, blames people spreading "malicious" rumours.

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China has robustly denied the accusations levelled online and in Zambian media

He told Chinese news agency Xinhua : "Today a local tabloid newspaper is openly spreading a rumour, claiming that the Chinese use human meat to make corned beef and sell it to Africa.

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

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