BEIJING, July 8 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Monday called on the U.S. side to stop the wrong practices of suppressing and restricting bilateral exchanges in people-to-people and cultural sectors.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang made the remarks when commenting on reports saying Chinese-American cancer researcher Xifeng Wu resigned this year from a top position at the MD Anderson Cancer Center, after a months-long investigation into her professional ties to China.

"We hope the U.S. side treats China's development and Sino-U.S. ties in a proper manner," said Geng, calling on the U.S. side to work with China to maintain and enhance bilateral exchanges and cooperation in people-to-people and cultural sectors.

Geng said in recent years, some people and institutions in the United States have accused some Chinese students, scholars, scientists and Chinese-American scientists in the United States of carrying out "espionage activities," made groundless criticisms and harassed them, which led to several false and wrong cases and seriously interfered in bilateral exchanges in people-to-people and cultural sectors and scientific cooperation.

He noted more and more colleges, think tanks and people from all walks of life in the United States have questioned and criticized the wrong practices.

The exchanges in people-to-people and cultural sectors between China and the United States is of great significance to enhancing mutual understanding and promoting the steady development of bilateral relations. It is ridiculous to attempt to curb China's development by tightening people-to-people and cultural exchanges, said Geng.